The Two Sides of Grey - Part II
by D.C. Bowser
Summary: Christian struggles to maintain peace as he tries to live without Anna, but their separation is short lived when Anna starts having her own troubles. Jack Hyde has his eye on Anna, but Anna can sense that Jack is not all what he seems.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Anna woke up without the love of her life beside her. Her mind knew better than to think Christian was the man for her, but her heart was beating against that thought every day. She turned toward the dim light that pushed through her plain white window curtain; the sun wasn't fully shinning over her eyes yet. The curtain was already pulling at the hem, but it didn't matter, she was broke and as long as the curtain was clean, that was enough for her. For now she had the basics in her bedroom; she only took her large dark brown dresser with her. Surprisingly, she had a large closet that was filled with her old clothes, shoes and the new clothes Christian gave to her. Her queen size bed was the only thing she purchased for the new apartment. She was a working woman now and she also wanted to have room in her bed for…she turned away from her only window and squeezed her legs together. After having amazing sex regularly, the few weeks of celibacy was frustrating her core. She still wasn't ready for someone else, it was probably a first love thing, but she was still holding onto his memory. She sat up on her bed as she always did and faced the closet. Today would be her first day at her new job and crying about a decision she made would be counterproductive to her wellbeing. She had to focus on her career now, love would come later.

She walked to her closet and looked at her clothes. Christian had surprisingly good taste. She knew she would look more sophisticated with his choices, then her shy school girl look that consisted of a single color blouse and flower skirt. She rubbed her hand against the tight fitting ocean blue dress he gave her; it was one of her favorite outfits. Yes, she would wear this dress today with simple black pumps. Shoes still wasn't her thing; she preferred to be able to walk in them. Did people really look at the shoes others were wearing that much anyway? Kate begged Anna to take the first shift in the bathroom which meant Anna had to wake up two hours early to get ready to leave for work. Anna yawned as she walked toward the bathroom holding her bra, panties and deodorant. For now she only wore a hot pink t-shirt on with nothing under it. Anna had to be able to leave out of the bathroom quickly so Kate would be able to get to ready for work. Not that Kate ever woke up on time.

Anna finished getting dressed by adding a diamond stud in each ear. She decided to keep her make up to lipstick only for now. Kate complimented Anna and told her that she didn't need much make up, she could add mascara if she wanted to bring out her eyes. Anna rolled her eyes, but really appreciated that Kate thought she was pretty. Anna never saw herself as pretty, but looking back, the few guys she dated were very attracted her. She looked in mirror and turned her body to each side to make sure the dress was flattering, but not too sexy. She didn't even know she had a shape until Christian taught her to appreciate her body. She clenched her hands at her sides; she needed to stop thinking about him. Their relationship was over; it was her choice. She released her fists, walked toward her large brown designer purse that only held her old tattered black wallet, cell phone, body spray, perfume and make up. She took one last moment to remind herself that today was the first day of the rest of her new life and that she should be happy about it. She placed a smile on her face and walked out of her bedroom door.

"You have to move on, Anna. It's for the best," she said to herself.

Christian was impeccably dressed in a navy blue suit that was paired with a white shirt. He stopped wearing ties after he and Anna parted ways. The ties felt like a vice around his neck and it reminded him of their time together. The fashion industry thought he was starting a modern business man trend, but he simply couldn't wear them anymore and he hated that he became compromised. The first woman he ever loved had made his a lesser kept man, but he had no regrets. He stood by every decision he had ever made and he wasn't going to stop believing in himself now. He took out his cell phone and glanced at it. Nothing, but professional obligations stared back at him. Was he expecting something else? She came back before, maybe she would come back again? No, there was no denying the look of fear in her face. Anna was afraid of him now. She saw what he was capable of and she couldn't deal with it. He also sensed something else, struggle. She didn't want to leave, but she felt she had to leave him. He closed his eyes to shut off his emotions. He didn't want her to feel obligated to see him so he couldn't break down again. He just needed to survive. Work was his life before and it would be his life again. Christian smelled Taylor in the elevator. Taylor was starting to overstep his bounds by using any excuse check up on him. If it was anyone else, Christian would have not allowed such behavior, but Taylor was not just his driver, he was friend and advisor as well.

The elevator doors opened smoothly and Taylor stepped out wearing one of the two suits he always wore during the week. Christian sometimes wondered what Taylor did with all the money he paid him. Taylor stood by the elevator door and said good morning to Christian while trying to sniff the air around them for anything out of the ordinary. Christian walked to Taylor, eyed him for a moment.

"Let me know if you smell something," said Christian.

Taylor swallowed. Christian should be angry, but Taylor didn't sense anything from him which was unnerving. Taylor was only able to sense a blip of feeling from Christian now and then and Taylor had to act downright incompetent to get a reaction from Christian. Taylor drove past Christian as he waited outside of his office building one day and backed up the car inch by inch while grinding the brakes. Christian winced and looked at the back of his car like he wanted to pull the car back with his bare hands, throw Taylor out of the car and drive away without him. Christian raised his hand to signal Taylor to stop the car. Taylor placed the car in park and waited for Christian to reach the car. Christian stomped toward the backseat door and tried to open the door. Taylor looked around as if he didn't notice the doors were locked. Christian slammed his hand on the hood of the car and yelled Taylor's name. Taylor was satisfied with Christian's reaction and unlocked the door. By the time Christian entered the car, Taylor only heard a steady pulse and nothing else.

"Have you lost all of your senses," asked Christian?

"My apologies, sir," said Taylor.

Christian pressed the button near the elevator door and the doors opened. Taylor stepped to the side to allow Christian to enter the elevator first. It was going to be another long day. As Taylor and Christian stood silent in the elevator, Christian noticed Taylor's uneasy heartrate. Why was Taylor so worried about him? He was fine. Christian had over eight hundred items on his to do list to keep him busy. Anna only hunted his dreams because it was the one place he couldn't control. Maybe, Christian was wrong and Taylor's behavior had nothing to do with Christian, but Alexa. She left Taylor recently and both Christian and his father, Corin did not mind her absence. Now that Christian agreed to see his father, Alexa was not needed to be at Christian's side. Christian wouldn't mind her coming back, but it was up to Alexa to make that decision.

Christian noticed the newspaper under Taylor's arm and stretched his hand toward Taylor. Taylor handed Christian the newspaper, Christian opened up the paper and proceeded to read the first page. There would be no more conversation between them, unless Christian decided to change his destination plans for the day. Taylor glanced over at Christian. Reading an actual newspaper was his boss' new activity. Even though Taylor was older than Christian, Taylor preferred to have an online subscription to his periodicals. The newspaper was just a shield from the world around him. If his head was down and focused on the newspaper, no one would dare interrupt him.

Elliot woke up with a smile on his face as he thought about Kate. They could not get enough of each other. Soon, Elliot would need to move out of his parent's house and get back to…Elliot scrunched his eye brows together and frowned. Go back to what? He hadn't worked a day in his life. Did his parents just give him money with no expectations? No wonder he went to werewolf bar looking for a fight. He didn't have a life to lose. Elliot groaned. He really needed to get out of this house. When he stood up, he planned to figure out what to do for a career. When opened the bedroom door, the scent that reached his nose stopped him in his tracks.

"Mia?"

Elliot briskly walked toward the stairs and all but skipped down them toward the front door. His parents were still in the kitchen eating, but he knew his mother was aware of Mia's scent. Elliot stopped at the foot of the stairs as he thought about his mother. She had to put on a façade every minute when she was with her husband. Could he hide his abilities from Kate for the rest of his life? The door bell rung and Elliot was now able to answer the door without drawing in unwanted attention to his abilities. When he opened the door, he purposely changed his smile to an immediate frown to tease his baby sister, but it didn't work. Mia was dressed for the runway as usual. She covered her eyes under dark brown designer sunglasses and wore a pink bandage dress with gold pumps. Her jet black hair was cut short, but she was known to change her hairstyle at any time. She smiled at her brother and took off her sun glasses.

"Ha, ha," said Mia. "Come here."

Mia pulled Elliot down to her and hugged him tightly. Elliot groaned. She knew she was stronger than him. Elliot hugged her back. She kissed his cheek and let go of him. Elliot noticed her eyes fill with water. She wiped the one tear she couldn't hold back under her eye. Elliot rubbed her arm to comfort her. She had been gone too long and seeing her family again reminded her of everything she gave up when she left them.

"Come in here," said Elliot. "Mom, dad, guess who's back!"

Mia let Elliot pull her into the house.

"My bags!"

Elliot continued pulling her into the house and walked back to her two large neon colored suitcases and carryon bag. He placed them inside the front door and closed the door. Grace screamed and ran to her daughter. Both of them held each other's arms, cried and spoke incoherent phrases to each other. Carrick walked in the living room and saw his long lost baby girl frantically holding his wife while yelling gibberish. A warm smile spread across his face as he walked toward them. Mia and Grace pulled away from each other and wiped their eyes. Carrick held his daughter tight. Mia started to silently cry against her father's chest. She kept her hands at her sides because she knew she couldn't control her strength at the moment.

"You're not going to hug me back," asked Carrick with a playful tone?

"Oh, daddy," said Mia.

Mia took a beat to manage her strength and hugged her dad. He didn't feel in distress so she knew hugged him properly. She smiled. He let go of her first and she took a step back. She wanted to put on her sunglasses, but she knew her parents wouldn't tolerate it. These were the only people she allowed to see her vulnerable.

"So, you're moving back, right," asked Carrick?

Mia shook her head. Grace rubbed her husband's arm. Carrick's feelings always lit up when their daughter was around. It was very sweet to see him acting this way.

"Well, I plan to stay here a while, but not permanently."

Carrick pouted his lips and lowered his head. Everyone laughed. Mia sternly, but lovingly reminded her father that guilt trips did not work on her. Christian was the only one in the family that fell for such cons, but Mia kept that part to herself. Carrick sighed and raised his hands in defeat. Mia and Carrick walked to the kitchen and talked as Grace and Elliot looked at each other. Who knew what shenanigans Mia was going to bring with her? Still, everyone was glad she came home.

Taylor drove home. Ever since Christian faded out and Alexa left him, he didn't have much to do anymore. When the elevator doors opened to his hotel floor, he saw Alexa standing in front of him wearing a short white leather jacket and a white mini dress with matching knee high boots. Taylor took a step back from the surprise of seeing her again. When the elevator doors almost closed, both Alexa and Taylor moved quickly to hold the door. The doors were not able to retract due to their strength. When they realized this, they let go of the doors. Taylor stepped out of the elevator and walked toward his door without breathing in front of the woman he had slept with for the past few months. He heard her footsteps behind him, she was so close. What was she doing here? He used his card key to open his room. He walked inside and felt Alexa standing right behind him.

"Did you forget something," asked Taylor?

"I was ordered here by Corin," said Alexa.

Taylor snarled and turned around to face Alexa. She came to him because she was just following orders. Why couldn't she bother Christian with this BS. Since she was here by the king's command, he had to answer whatever question she asked him. He just had to make sure he gave enough information to keep Corin from getting involved with Christian's affairs. Who knew what Corin would do if he found out that Anna had caused his son so much pain?

"Is there something wrong with Christian?"

 **I'm back! Thank you so much for your patience. I was working on another book, but decided to take a break to work on this story for a while. The other book is finished, but I have edit and revise it.**

 **I started this story with Anna and Christian apart because I wanted it to feel like an actual break up before the plot thickens. I also plan to add Mia in this one as subplot.**

 **As always, I appreciate any comments, reviews or constructive criticism.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Taylor slowly put his hands into his pockets and stared at Alexa. He couldn't believe that she only came to use him for information. He would have growled if his wolf wasn't so happy to see her. His anger kept the wolf's feelings from peering through the surface so she didn't sense any of the conflict inside of him.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Corin doesn't want to upset Christian if his senses are off."

Taylor smiled. Corin was either being a good father or a terribly intrusive one, but not even Taylor knew Corin's true intentions. Corin did save his son's mate even though he could have easily left Anna to her fate. Corin found Anna because he saw how important she was to Christian. If he finds out Anna had left him after everything that happened, Corin might have her killed for wasting his time.

"Christian's fine. If there is something wrong, he's not telling me."

"But you can sense him."

"You know me better than that."

Alexa arched her eyebrow at him. Taylor didn't know Christian was a prince until recently, so Taylor did not treat Christian as a royal. She knew he wasn't one to overstep his bounds, but he and Christian saw each other as friends. Taylor would read Christian if he felt something was wrong.

"Is that all you need from me?"

Alexa gave Taylor a stern look. She wanted to throw him against the wall for being so insolent toward her. They both agreed that they were getting too close to each other.

"No, I'll let you know if I do."

Alexa turned to walk toward the door. Taylor used all of his strength to not follow after her. She was terrified of him and he had to let her figure out what she wanted on her own. Besides, he was used to being alone. When Alexa was out of the range of his senses, he walked to his bed and nearly collapsed on it. He hoped these visits were not going to become a habit. Seeing her again was like tearing open a wound that was just starting to heal.

Christian paced back and forth as he reviewed the report in front of him. The family owned business wanted him to insure that their staff would remained employed for at least six months before he fully absorbed the company. Christian wasn't in the mood to play nice, if it was financially sound, he would have his lawyers place it in the contract. If not, then he would wait for the family to dry out and buy it for a much lesser price. He walked back to his desk, dropped the report on it and shuffled through the other folders to see which report he wanted to review next. He started to feel hungry, but he saw it as reminder that he was alive and gladly welcomed it. He raised his head when he smelled his executive assistant standing in front of his office door. What did the human want now? The thought made him pause; thinking out of turn like that would only lead to bitterness. He didn't want to harbor undeserved disdain against an entire race because one human broke his heart.

"Come in," he said.

He just realized she hadn't even knocked on the door yet. He was forgetting his human façade and that was dangerous for him. He forced a smile when she walked in. She held a medium sized brown bag that had a large steak and asparagus in it.

"Is that for me," asked Christian?

"Yes, sir, I've noticed you haven't left the office," said Joyce. "I guess you must have smelled it at the door."

"I certainly smelled something."

She smiled at him. He didn't return the smile, but he didn't frown either. Everyone knew he didn't tolerate inter office dating between management and staff. He reluctantly allowed peer to peer dating under an arbitration clause since his Human Resources Department suggested it would be more of mess if he didn't allow it. He trusted his department, so he accepted the suggestion. She walked toward him and placed the bag on his desk.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, sir."

Since the food was there, he might as well eat it. When Joyce left, he lowered his head, delicately pushed the brown back open with his thumb and finger, closed his eyes and inhaled the food's aroma.

Day one of Anna's career was going well. Her fellow staff members were friendly and close to her age. She didn't get the pretend vibe from either of the two other assistants. They were all in this together and she loved it. The orientation surprisingly took up the first half of her day. She was required to sit through three hours of company policy information, insurance options and spent one hour reviewing and signing on boarding documents. She was lucky to land a job at one of the leading mid-sized publishing firms in Seattle. She was actually going to be able to use her college degree and she was grateful for it. One of the seasoned assistants, Hannah, walked Anna to her desk.

"Don't let the silence fool you, everyone here is just busy reading a manuscript or scheduling appointments," said Hannah.

"Oh, I plan to stay busy," said Anna. "I'll even ask for more work if I finish early."

Hannah laughed. Anna had no idea about their workload. Assistants did everything, but make the final decision on a manuscript. They were required to read a manuscript in two days and have a written proposal for any book worth their boss' time the following morning.

"What did I say?"

"I'm sorry, I wasn't making fun of you, I promise. It's just; they're good about keeping us busy here."

"Oh, well that's great."

"I feel the same way; I prefer to keep busy too."

Hannah glanced at the commissioning editor's open door. Jack Hyde was standing in his office facings his large window while taking on his cell phone. She was glad he hadn't noticed them yet. Hannah quickly walked to Anna's desk and stood beside it. Anna rushed behind her to fit in with the vibe there. She tripped slightly and leaned her hand on the front of her new desk to keep from falling. Hannah definitely noticed Anna's failed attempt to hide her clumsiness in front of her, but she was classy enough not to address it.

"So, I see that your immediate boss is on the phone; therefore, I'm going to have to do this with a little finesse because I have to get back to work."

Anna laughed.

Anna followed Hannah to open office door. The office itself was moderately large. It made sense since the office building consisted of two floors. The place was modern and had a lot of open space. Burgundy paint covered the walls, the desks were made from dark oak and the chairs were black. Management looked like they had larger and more comfortable chairs, but other than that, they didn't really stand out. Anna noticed Hannah's desk and saw that she only had two small pictures on it. One picture was of her family, the other showed a picture of her with her boyfriend embracing each other. For now, Anna only had one picture to place on her desk. Hannah noticed Anna's slightly slumped shoulders and thought Anna was becoming intimidated by her new position.

"Are you alright?"

Anna smiled.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking about someone, I mean something."

Hannah knew Anna said the right word the first time, but it wasn't her business to ask about her ex-boyfriend; at least not yet. Hannah hoped she and Anna would become friends. They were going to spend a lot of late nights together working on assignments and it would be better for both of them if they clicked. She doubted that would be a problem, Anna seemed like a sweet person. She hoped she'd survive Jack Hyde.

"Yeah, I'm being rude to my new boss, I have to go," said Jack.

Anna's eyes widened. Did she hear him right? It must have been a joke. She was nowhere close to being anyone's boss yet, but she did look forward to being a lead editor one day or maybe even own her own publishing firm. For now, she still had a lot to learn.

"I'll talk to you later, yeah, yeah, good bye."

He pressed the red button at the bottom of his phone and turned around with a large warm smile on his face.

"Anastasia Steele, it's nice to meet you," he said as he walked up to her and put out his hand to shake hers.

"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Hyde."

Hannah looked away and Jack kept smiling, but obviously, Anna had made a faux pas. Anna quickly shook his hand; she noticed his gentle grip. He was tall and muscular, with short blond hair and cold blue eyes. Anna couldn't put her finger on it, but he wasn't completely as he seemed. He wore designer polo shirt, khaki pants and was secure enough in his position to wear white tennis shoes.

"You can call me Jack. Using Mr. Hyde in the publishing business just screams so many unpleasant things."

"Oh, I'm sorry, you're right. I mean no, it's just a name, I mean…how can I help you today?"

Jack laughed.

"Breathe, Anastasia."

"Actually, I go by Anna, if that's okay. Is there a no nickname rule here?"

Hannah and Jack smiled.

"No, Anna, nicknames are cool here."

Anna nodded her head. She could have made a better first impression, but what was done was done. Jack eyed Anna as she walked away and wondered how she looked with nothing on her skin. _Too soon_ , he thought, but he had plans for her.

 **Thanks for reading! As expected, Corin is nowhere near done with Christian and as soon has he senses his son's pain, Christian and Taylor will be forced to tell Corin what's wrong. How can Christian protect a woman that doesn't want to see him? This issue alone may force Christian and Anna to see each other again. Anna may not take their meeting too kindly,** ** _at first_** **.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Christian sat in the back seat of his car and looked down at his cell phone as Taylor drove pulled away from the curb. He asked where Christian wanted to go as a formality, but he already knew the answer. Christian simply said home; most of the ride was filled with silence. Taylor knew if Christian lost interest in his emails, he would notice Taylor's slight apprehension. Taylor debated telling Christian about Alexa's inquiry. Maybe it was better to leave it be? Alexa would only report what he told her; she wasn't an instigator and he believed that she was still on their side. Taylor's loyalty to Christian may get him into unnecessary trouble. Does Taylor need to say something? Taylor's heartrate was spiking and he needed to think about something else before…

"Taylor, is something wrong," asked Christian?

Shit, Christian caught him. Taylor exhaled. If he said anything else who would be lying and he wasn't a liar. Taylor looked at Christian through the review mirror. Christian stared back at Taylor. Christian's eyes were filled with concern and warning. If Taylor tried to tip toe around the issue, Christian was going to lose his patience with him. He still remained silent for a beat longer to choose his words carefully. Technically, they had nothing to worry about for the moment. Taylor turned his attention back on the road in front of him.

"Alexa was sent to me by Corin to ask about your wellbeing."

Christian lurched forward from his seat; then sat back in his chair. Taylor looked back at Christian again to see how he reacted to the news. Christian's eyes were filled with rage for an instant before his eyes became unreadable again.

"Tell me everything you discussed with her."

Taylor's first instincts were right. He shouldn't have opened his mouth. Christian maybe able to hide his external reactions, but his heart was pounding in his chest. Soon his façade was going to break and Taylor didn't know what that fully meant. Was Christian holding back too much? Shutting down was dangerous for any species. Christian may seem like a cold man, but he did allow himself to feel. Wolves had to be aware and in tune with their emotions or their wolf could take over completely and an untamed werewolf was dangerous.

"I took care of it. Corin didn't want to upset you by coming to see you unannounced so he sent Alexa to ask me discretely. I feel like I shouldn't have told you."

Christian could sympathize with Taylor, but Christian needed to know when his father was trying to poke around in his business. Corin was going to want to see him soon and he was glad Taylor told him that his father was already suspicious of his feelings. Christian had to face his pain tonight before his father exposed his weakness. He already knew what his father thought about Anna and he didn't want to give him an excuse to try to fix anything. Humans meant nothing to him, including his own mother. He had to keep Anna safe; he would spend the rest of his protecting her whether she wanted him to or not.

"It's alright, I'm glad you told me. I prefer you tell me anything pertinent about my father."

"Yes, sir."

Christian nodded his head. He didn't want to become angry in such close proximity to Taylor. Taylor would sense it and think Christian was angry at him when that was far from the case. His friend was so focused on trying to read his emotions; he never thought to try to figure out how he was able to get over Anna so quickly. If Taylor was aware of the silence in Christian's mind, he would have told Corin immediately. Christian wondered if he could even face his wolf after shutting him out. He'd find out tonight. What feelings would his wolf torture him with after locking him in a cold far away cage in the back of his mind?

Taylor could sense Christian struggling. Even though Christian hasn't known his father long, Corin was able to push Christian in ways that Taylor didn't even think was possible. When Taylor saw Christian lose control of his shift, it terrified him. Christian wasn't a weak creature, but his unresolved feelings about his father were like a loaded gun that can shoot him at any time. Taylor felt there was nothing left for him to say at the moment, so he remained silent. He only hoped that Anna would come to her senses and come back to Christian, but there was no guarantee that was going to happen. Humans were not instinctual creatures, Anna may have convinced herself that she shouldn't be with Christian and that would be a terrible mistake. Anna was just as attached to Christian as he was to her. She would never be happy with anyone else.

"I need a drink, please take me somewhere close and discrete."

"No problem."

Taylor wished he could have a drink with Christian too, but he couldn't drink on the job. While Taylor drove, Christian's cell phone rang.

"Hello…Mia?"

Mia ran and hugged Christian with all of her strength as soon as he stepped inside of the house. He groaned and was slightly knocked back toward the open door. If he wasn't a werewolf, they both would have been on the ground. Mia held back her tears. She missed her family so much. She pulled away and looked up at him. He couldn't take her assessing gaze so he looked toward his mother.

"How did this happen," asked Christian?

"She just showed up and I love it," said Grace.

Christian and Grace both shook their heads. If it was up to Grace, she would have them in her house forever or at least for half the year. No, Christian and Mia were both very independent people with their own sexual tastes and they did not want their parents to know about it. They both had their own secrets. Mia leaned on Christian's shoulder, but Christian was not able to return the affection. All he could do was stand there.

"Elliot is out with your father, so it's just us," said Grace.

"That doesn't sound good," said Christian.

"Elliot wants to be a man now so he's asking dad to be his mentor," said Mia.

Christian eyes almost popped out of his head. Elliot wanted to work, since when? Christian smirked, he was happy that his brother wanted to do something with his life. He felt a little offended that his brother didn't come to him. Christian would have gladly helped his brother, but he was also happy to see Elliot and his father bonding again.

"Stop making fun of Elliot, Mia," Grace warned.

"Well, I can't stay long, but I would like to find out what you have been doing for the past two years in France."

"Well, you know this that, making my own designs, blah, blah…"

"Don't say another blah," warned Christian.

They all laughed.

"I'll make something quick; this way you two," said Grace.

Christian sighed and walked alongside Mia to the dining room.

Anna lied back on the couch reading one of her old books. Jack didn't want her to start a manuscript without having a full two days to read it. Kate and Anna both agreed to not buy cable because they knew they wouldn't have time to watch it. However, they did have a smart TV to tempt them every now and then with Hulu or Netflix. She thought about all of the manuscripts that she was going to be required to read and smiled. Her recommendations may end up on book shelves and online platforms around the world someday. Her musings were interrupted by a loud smack from her apartment door. She sat up and looked toward the door.

"What the…Kate?"

"What, oh, sorry; I shouldn't have slammed the door like that," said Kate. "Are you alright, did I scare you?"

"Yes, woman, you did."

Kate laughed.

"Woman, really? I'm just glad to be home."

After her heartbeat returned to normal, Anna was able to see the subtle things that were out of place with Kate. Her bangs were pushed to the other side of her face, her skirt was lightly hiked up and her posture wasn't as graceful. Somebody clearly had a bad day. Anna stood and walked up to Kate and rubbed Kate's arm.

"Are you okay," asked Anna?

"What makes you think something's wrong," asked Kate?

"Ah, you walked in here ready to tear our apartment apart."

"I wasn't going to rampage. I was just letting off some steam. My boss is a total…"

"Okay, breathe."

Anna dramatically inhaled and exhaled. Kate scowled at Anna at first; then started to mimic Anna's breathing. Kate calmed down little by little with each exhale. Slowly her anger was replaced with peace.

"Thanks, Anna. I needed your calm."

"You're welcome. Did you eat?"

"No, not yet."

"Well, I think I know what happened then."

Kate rolled her eyes and smiled at her. Yes, she was hangry, but there was more to her day than that. She knew she had to pay her dues like everyone else, but her immediate editor, Bryan, had a problem with her ever since she said hello and it was just getting worse. Her job was not just to fetch coffee, it was the editors' job to edit the reporters' work and she cannot even expect to have a real assignment for another few months.

Anna sat down across from Kate and allowed her to vent. She also planned to set Kate straight about her current place in the world. She was a runt, just like her. Grades didn't matter in the real world, relationships and results mattered. If Kate kept thinking that she was better than everyone else there, it was just going to get worse. Kate dramatically exhaled and took a large gulp of her water.

"Am I just being crazy?"

Anna shrugged, placed one hand up and squeezed her thumb and forefinger together.

"A little…"

Kate teared up, but she needed to hear this. Only her parents and Anna could get through to her and Anna was way nicer than her mother and father.

"We're both starting over, Kate. It's just how it goes. Attitude is everything. Just remember what you want and go for it every day you're there. Then after you get the word reporter behind your name and a few years of experience, you can tell them to fuck off and find another job."

Kate's jaw dropped. Anna said fuck off.

"You said fuck."

Kate covered her mouth.

"Yes, my dad told me that and now I'm telling you. Crazy, right?"

"Yeah. So, how was your first day?"

Anna was quiet. She didn't know if she should talk about Jack with Kate yet.

"It was good. They're all friendly and my boss seems interested in my ideas so it's nice."

Kate eyed Anna.

"Does your boss have a penis?"

Anna shook her head. Her friend could be so predicable at times. Men and women have been working together a long time now without sleeping with each other. Anna did see him as attractive, but he wasn't her type. She came to realize that she liked strong silent men. Which probably wasn't a good choice for her either, but she liked what she liked.

"Yes, my boss has a penis. I don't understand why that is relevant."

Kate smiled.

"Don't worry, I know you know better, but I still want you to watch out for him. You're hot stuff Anna and now that you're a woman, men are going to pay more attention to you."

"I was a woman when we met."

"You know what I mean."

Anna leaned over and smacked Kate's arm. Kate held the assaulted area.

"Owe."

"You deserved that."

Christian was silent on the drive home. Mia and his mother were able to keep his mind off his pain for a while, but now that he was alone with his thoughts again. He had to ready for what he was about to do tonight or his mind may not survive it.

 **Thank you for reading! Anna is starting to realize that she is still connected to Christian on a supernatural level. Jack is still on his best behavior for now, but he will show his other side at one point. Christian locking away his wolf was terribly dangerous to both him and his wolf. Releasing his wolf back into his consciousness will have consequences.**

 **As always, I appreciate any comments, reviews or constructive criticism.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The elevator doors took its time to reach his apartment and even longer to open. At least, that was how Christian felt about it. The extra time he perceived in his mind was starting to make him second guess his decision. Should he do this, has any werewolf ever closed off their animal side and tried to turn it back on? He was starting to believe the hype about his royal blood. If any other wolf tried this, they would have died or gone insane. When the elevator doors finally opened, he stepped out and stood right outside the doors so they would close. He hadn't been this afraid since his first transformation.

His first shift occurred when he was twelve years old. Grace took him on a camping trip with just the two of them. Christian hated extra attention, but he wanted to please his mother, so he agreed to the trip. The first day was boring, nothing was out there and they didn't have a lot to do. He was actually missing his annoying little brother and sister. Keeping Elliot from running out into the street or climbing too high on a tree and making sure Mia didn't have another tantrum kept him busy. His homework was always easy so he was unofficially his siblings' babysitter even though they had a nanny. He could tell she appreciated the help because she focused less and less on watching them and working on her own school work. It made him a little nervous about college. Was college hard?

On the second day, he started to have a fever, but he was terribly hungry at the same time. He didn't understand why his mother didn't want to cancel the trip. If his fever didn't break on its own by morning, he planned to ask her if she would take him to the hospital. He was in such a haze, but the hunger wouldn't stop. Why wasn't his mother anxious about his fever? Christian was starting to think the worse, but quickly dismissed it. Both of his parents told him that nothing would change once his brother was born and they kept their promise. His mother was just being stubborn about this terrible trip. Grace walked in again to feed him another hamburger. He sat up slowly, scooted to the edge of the bed and devoured the large burger. She even added bacon, like the fast food restaurants. She placed the back of her hand on his head again. He burped and quickly covered his mouth.

"Sorry, mother."

"It's alright. How do you feel?"

"Like I need shot."

Grace laughed.

"A shot of what? I don't know, don't shots cure things like this."

"You'll be fine. Sometimes, it's better to let the fever run its course. If it doesn't break, I'll cancel the trip."

He wanted to smile, but he didn't want to hurt his mother's feelings, so he kept his smile to himself. His mother never let him down. She smiled at him; he noticed that her eyes looked sad. It was probably because she didn't like how sick he looked. He doubted they would last the night; she would probably take him to the hospital later.

"Can I hug you?"

"Okay."

Grace gave her son a tight hug. She moved away quickly because she remembered he was not comfortable with affection. When she and her husband finalized the adoption, Christian sat in the far corner of every room they were in at that time. He didn't sit and eat with them at the table, but Grace always sat beside him while he ate just make sure he didn't make too much of a mess on the floor. He loved Cheerios and they had to negotiate for him to eat anything else. She remembered the first time he walked to the dinner table. They were having spaghetti and meatballs; he sniffed the air and walked to the table. She was just about to make him sandwich when she saw him struggle to pull out the chair. Carrick held back his smile.

"You need help, son," asked Carrick?

"No, I can do it," said Christian.

Christian pulled out the chair and climbed up the chair to sit down. When he saw how far he was form the table, he looked so deflated. Grace asked if she could push his chair in. His body went rigid for a moment; then he relaxed and allowed her to push the chair toward the table. Christian loved the meal and started to accept them more and more as his family.

Grace left the bedroom of the cabin door open and busied herself with cleaning the few dishes in the sink. In three hours, he son would transform and find out his new destiny. She was just as nervous. It would be her first time guiding a young wolf during their shift. She went over her plan. She would tell him a few minutes before the moon showed itself. If he was allowed too much time to think about it, he would let his denial make the transformation worse. Would he ever forgive her for not telling him sooner? No, this was different. He wasn't raised in a pack; for all he knew werewolves didn't exist. Telling him earlier would have made everything worse. No, this was the only option.

Kate finally let Anna go to bed. Sleeping late was not an option anymore. Well, it was just not a good habit to have when you're employed. She wasn't naïve to think she wouldn't be up reading and working on projects, but that was different. She walked to her bedroom, shut the door and took off her pants and t-shirt. She took the pink shirt that was placed at the foot of her bed and put it on. She touched her face to see if she could get away with leaving it be tonight, but she knew better. She walked to the bathroom and proceeded to wash her face and brush her teeth. Just went she rinsed her mouth for the second time, she heard Kate bang on the door.

"I got to take shit," yelled Kate!

"What," asked Anna?

"I'm kidding, but I have to pee really bad."

"The door's not locked, Kate."

Kate opened the door, unintentionally pushed past Anna and sat on the toilet. Anna put her head down and walked out of the bathroom. Kate teased Anna and yelled we both have the same thing. Anna yelled back, but you've been a woman longer than me. Kate laughed. Anna was becoming saucy more and more each day and Kate loved it.

Anna closed her bedroom door, she debated locking it after her comment, but she had to remain strong. If she locked the door, she lost and Kate would never let Anna live it down. As Anna slid down under her covers, she thought about Kate going commando. Did Kate really sleep without anything on, but a shirt? Anna slid her bottom from side to side. Her underwear was starting to feel uncomfortable. No! She would not sleep without underwear on. She just couldn't do it. After her random thoughts, her eyes closed easily as she drifted to sleep, but something felt different.

"Christian?"

Her body became rigid, but she couldn't open her eyes. She was feeling everything. Everything, he felt, she somehow tapped into it. She sat up. A slight wind blew past her and stopped when she opened her eyes. Christian was in trouble again. She wanted to run to him and see if he was okay, but that wasn't her place do anymore. She never felt this way before. If what she sensed was true. He needed help. She rubbed her head; the jolt of energy she felt obviously wasn't good for her health.

Corin was already in his car as his enforcer drove toward Christian's apartment. Enough was enough. He knew Alexa or Taylor wouldn't dare lie to him, but something was wrong. He didn't plan to see his son, but he needed to be close enough to read him. Standing in the parking garage would do and he didn't plan to mask his scent either. Corin was not afraid of his son and if Christian had a problem with him being there, well he would gladly accept his son's phone call.

Sierra was lying in bed alone; Corin didn't tell her where he was going. He kept up appearances, but he hadn't made love to her since that night she fought Christian. He held her so his scent would be on her and nothing more. Was this going to be the rest of her life? She thought about killing herself, but she didn't want to hurt Corin. If he was done with her, he would have killed her. Severing their connection would harm him as well and that wasn't fair to him. She closed her eyes and laid on her side quietly. He would return to her as he always did. One day his touch would mean something again; it was that hope that kept her alive. She would wait a thousand years to feel his carnal touch on her skin.

Corin's enforcer stood a few feet behind him and watched the road as Corin stood only a few inches from the elevator. Christian's scent was strong; he must have been one of the last men on the elevator. Corin leaned in and inhaled. His son wasn't himself, he was numb. Corin looked away and thought about what he was sensing. He grinded his teeth, he wanted to storm up to Christian's room and figure this out. He only felt a jolt of energy from Christian, but it happened too quick for him to register it. He didn't sense Taylor's scent, if something was seriously wrong, Taylor could be by his son's side. He was sure of it. No, Christian was alright. Corin thought about their agreement. He wanted to give Christian some space after he and his wife's fight, but that time had passed. Corin would summon him son for dinner. He shook his head; that was the problem. Christian wasn't a pack member; he was his son, a royal. Corin would call Christian's cell phone and invite him to dinner next week. Yes, Christian deserved the same respect he would give any royal. He turned away and walked toward the car. His enforcer jogged to the car first and opened the back door. Corin quickly sat down and told his guard to drive home. If he knew his son, he was going to be called first regarding his unannounced visit.

Anna could barely focus at work as she thought about what she felt last night. Christian was still a person. She smiled at that. He was still alive and deserved to be loved. Thankfully, Jack hadn't assigned her a manuscript yet. She'd probably get one later in the afternoon. She turned her attention back to her computer. Jack was going to be traveling in a few weeks. So far, he planned to travel alone. She hoped it stayed that way; did assistants travel with their bosses? Remote assistance was possible now. He wanted his calendar updated by 11:00am. She should be finished by 10:30am. She looked longingly at the coffee counter across from her. Hannah looked up from her computer and smiled.

"Anna," whispered Hannah.

Anna looked over at Hannah.

"You can get some."

"Oh, thank you."

Anna tip toed over to the yellow rimmed coffee pot and poured the smoking liquid in small white cup. She walked back to her desk and slowly sat down to avoid spilling the coffee. Hannah smiled and kept working.

Jack walked out of his office reviewing a proposal from his last assistant. He didn't agree with her choice and planned to reject the copy. If she couldn't handle the job, he didn't plan to help her career. He looked up at Anna, smiled and waved at her. Anna smiled back at him. He walked to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup. Anna and Hannah couldn't help but lower their heads and giggle quietly. Thankfully, Jack was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to hear them.

Christian laid in his bedroom, dripping in sweat. Nothing was touching his skin, but a pair of black boxer briefs. He had to use his alpha rank to keep Taylor from coming up to seeing him. If Taylor saw him like this, then he'd call Corin and Christian couldn't risk it.

"Anna…"

 _Christian…_

Christian sat up. Did he just hear Anna's voice?

 **Thanks for reading! I'm glad I'll be able to write out what's been simmering in my mind for the next couple of weeks. Anna is trying to fight seeing Christian again, but she cares for him deeply. She can't knowingly allow him to suffer. Christian sincerely doesn't want to see her because he loves her too much. When they meet, it's not going to be easy for them to come back together, but they can only stay apart for so long.**

 **As always, I appreciate any comments, reviews or constructive criticism.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Anna was fed up with this supernatural nonsense and decided that she would visit Christian tonight. She thought about how she would enact her plan? Her eyes widened as she stepped out of the office building. Was she really going to do this? Maybe she was just losing her mind and Christian wasn't sick? No, something in her gut told her that this was something else and she needed to find out what was happening to her. She had a feeling that Christian may have the answers she needed. She took out her cell phone and was just about to call Taylor when she felt a slight bump on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Anna," said Jack. "I didn't see you there."

Anna smiled and quickly dropped her cell phone back in her purse like she had been caught spying on the office building. That wasn't the case at all of course, but she still didn't want anyone to know about her personal life at the office for the time being. Jack noticed Anna's slick move and she officially made everything worse. Jack's posture went more rigid, but he kept his tone light and a smile on his face.

"I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No, it's fine," said Anna. "I'm just checking in on a friend."

She closed her eyes, but had the good sense not to shake her head. She could have said anything else. She could have said that she needed to get home so she could take a dump. Anything would have been better than what she said. She basically implied that she was about to talk to someone that she didn't want her boss to know about; a possible lover. She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"Boyfriend trouble?"

She wanted to politely steer the conversation toward something less personal, but she felt it would come off as aggressive, so she decided to tread lightly with her response.

"Just friend trouble, I didn't have time to talk today so I want to see if everything is okay."

Jack noted that she was very careful not to mention a pronoun in her sentence. So, she may already be in a relationship. He wanted to widen his smile. He liked it when the women he pursued were in a relationship, it made the hunt all the more sweeter when he caught them. For now, he didn't have enough information about her to replace his competition, so he let the conversation pass.

"Well, have a good night. I hope your friend is okay."

He walked toward his car. His pristine smile faded and was replaced with a dark gaze that would make a mugger turn away from him.

Anna exhaled and decided to walk a few blocks away from the office to give her more privacy. She stopped in front of a closed bookstore, called Revive. She did a double take and turned around to look at the store. She planned to visit it later. She was always on the look out for another good read. She still preferred holding the books in her hands. There was something kinetic about holding the front and back cover between your fingers as you consumed the work through your eyes. It was a physical act that became almost supernatural as the words came alive in your mind. She went back to her cell phone and scrolled through the contact list in her phone. When she passed Christian's number, she hesitated. Maybe she should just call him directly? Showing up unannounced could back fire on her. He could have a woman there. Her heart didn't believe it. Christian loved her and she…she shook her head, she couldn't finish the thought. She continued to scroll down her contact list and found Taylor's name. She pressed call as soon as she saw his number. If she overthought this anymore, she wouldn't do it and she couldn't afford to have another night of feeling another person's pain and anguish. She moved the phone to her ear.

"Anna," asked Taylor?

She was actually doing this.

"Anna, is this you?"

"Oh, sorry, Taylor…I was wondering if you wouldn't mind doing something for me."

Taylor waited for her to speak.

"I want to see Christian tonight. I think something's wrong."

Taylor stood in his bedroom and rubbed his face with his free hand. He was so relieved to hear from Anna. She was the only one that was going to help Christian get through whatever was happening to him. Part of him knew that she could make it worse if she decided to leave again, but he knew she wouldn't do that to him again. It was worth the risk. Christian can growl at him later about it.

"You're right, he hasn't been the same."

So her feelings were right. Christian was in more pain than anyone deserved. She knew she had broken his heart, but she thought he would have gotten over it with the life he lived. He was a wealthy man that could have anything woman he wanted, surely, she wasn't the only option for a man like him. She never considered herself a heartbreaker and she never wanted to be one. Unfortunately, she had unintentionally branded herself with the title.

"I'd like to see him tonight, if that is okay."

"Of course; where do I pick you up?"

Anna made a half-hearted smile. Taylor may appear like a stern man, but she was starting to realize he was actually a soft hearted man that would do anything for anyone he cared about.

Elliot stood in front of his bedroom mirror dressed in a suit and couldn't get over how uncomfortable it felt against his skin. He wasn't his father or Christian and he didn't think he could ever be like them. His father bought him three tailored suits for the four interviews his father lined up for him and he was already dreading his decision. He wasn't a corporate man, but he also needed to work. What terrified him the most was that he never really thought about what he wanted to do with his life. He didn't have any real passions. So, why does this suit feel so coarse on his body? He had to figure out what he wanted, but first he needed to survive the next few interviews. His father was doing him a huge favor and it meant a lot that his dad trusted him enough to put his neck out for him; he wasn't going to disappoint him. His father had set him up for a number of marketing positions which he thought was interesting. He couldn't just crunch numbers and look at reports. He knew enough about himself to know that he wanted to work in a creative field.

He decided to take a selfie and sent the picture to Kate. Kate immediately responded with a picture of her licking her lips. She simply wrote the word _sexy_. He smiled; she always had a way of making his day better. He wrote _thank you_. She then asked why he was dressed in a suit. He hadn't told her about his plans yet. He might as well now. He wrote that he was looking to get back into the job market. She responded with four question marks and asked if he had ever worked? He growled and sent her an angry emoji. She sent him a wink and kiss emoji and wrote, _I'm proud of you_ and like that, he forgave her. She told him she needed to get back to work so she gave him another wink and kiss emoji and said goodbye. He smiled and put his cell phone back in his pocket.

Mia woke up in her old bedroom wearing a white lace gown. Her eyes were covered under a matching silk eye mask. She sat up, stretched her arms and yawned. Both her stomach and her lower area growled. It had only been a few days and her body was already wanting. She looked around her bedroom, she couldn't do anything here. She learned the hard way not to bring any boys to her room. She completely forgot that her mother had the same abilities as she. She thought she only needed to worry about her dad, but she was terribly mistaken. Her mother was the real watch dog.

When she was eighteen and her mother and father were both away at separate conferences. She decided to take her then boyfriend up to her room. She would have the sheets cleaned and the room sprayed down before her parents returned that Monday evening, but her mother returned Sunday night on an earlier flight. It was like she knew what was going to happen. Mia still couldn't figure out how her mother knew she was going to try something that weekend, but she did. Greg was a good foot and half taller than her, but with her supernatural strength that didn't matter. She was the one that would have to hold back and she loved it. Greg would be her third lover at the time. She didn't know any werewolves at this point and she had enough human males vying for her attention that it didn't matter to her. Friday and Saturday night was wonderful. Mia shouldn't have pushed her luck, but she became too confident. It was like this was her house since none of her parents or older brothers were there. She even had him chase her around a little on the final night. After their third twist together, Mia planned to let him stay the night. While in bed, she looked at his soft face and rubbed his thick light brown wavy hair as he slept in his clothes. He was too shy to sleep in his boxers. She thought it was sweet. He moaned for a moment; then his face relaxed. She put on her teddy bear shirt and short set to make him feel comfortable.

She decided to tip toe downstairs to make herself a large sandwich. She was always hungry after sleeping with someone and she didn't k now why. When her foot touched the final step before the first floor, her heart nearly stopped beating. She smelled her mom at the front door. She gasped and looked back and forth between the front door and upstairs. She had just been caught. She would have cried, but she knew it would make things worse. Her tears only worked on her dad, but not mom. Mom was easier on her brothers. It wasn't fair. Needless to say, Greg was embarrassed as he was forced to leave and Grace lectured her about trust and responsibility. The guilt Grace loaded on Mia made Mia never lie again.

Mia smelled something familiar, but she had to be hallucinating it. She quickly put on some shorts and ran downstairs to the front door. Thankfully, her parents were not home. She wasn't one to shy away from accountability, but this was not her fault. She quickly opened the door and was greeted by Raphael. She looked down toward his stone wash jeans and up to his white tank top. His tank left nothing to the imagination. He was large and ripped. When she reached his face, she growled. His smile turned into a frown.

"I see that you're not happy to see me," said Raphael in French.

"What do you think," said Mia in French. "How did you find me?"

Raphael opened his mouth to speak. She raised her hand. Of course he was able to find her. It may have taken some time, but he obviously sniffed her out. She didn't think she would need to cover her scent, she might do that next time she returns home.

"I missed you."

Her anger dimmed a little. Raphael was a surprisingly sweet alpha. He also couldn't speak English well so she was the only person he had in this place. She waved him back, stepped outside and shut the door. He smelled that she was no longer angry and smiled. He didn't know why he did it, but he had to be close to her again. He started to sense her response to him, she wanted him too.

"Do you have anywhere to go?"

"I have money."

She rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't trying to insult you. Just give me a few minutes. I can't let you inside since no one is home and I don't want to get into trouble."

He arched an eyebrow, but respected her wishes. He knew it would take her a while to get dressed to her standards, so walked to a nearby bench, placed his large brown duffle bag on it and sat down next to his bag.

Anna sat in the front seat next to Taylor. He was not just a driver to her so she wanted his company while driving to her ex boyfriend's house. Taylor was quiet, but his strong presence helped her remain calm. She was right to do this. Someone she cared about was in pain. She would do the same thing for Kate or anyone that needed her support. She exhaled. Taylor glanced at her and returned his focus back on the road.

"Thank you for coming to see him. He needs this."

She looked over at him.

"I can't just sit back and watch anyone suffer. If he needs me to be his friend, then I'll be that for him."

He pretended to look at his driver side mirror so she wouldn't notice his reaction. Christian wanted Anna back completely. Taylor didn't know if Christian would accept her as just a friend, but he honestly didn't know how Christian would react to Anna's presence. Taylor was also certain that Christian would never hurt Anna and that's why he kept driving.

 **Thanks for reading! Anna can't take it anymore and has to find out if Christian is okay. Christian doesn't expect to see Anna ever again, so it will be a bit of shock when they see each other. Christian's pride and heartbreak may get in the way of their reconnection, but Anna will not let Christian push her away so easily.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Christian uncontrollably twitched as he continued to drench his bed with sweat. He was also becoming less lucid with each hour. To avoid losing complete consciousness, he said his name repeatedly, along with his birthday and the date his parents adopted him. It seemed to help him remain conscious. Every now and then Anna's face invaded his mind and he felt a shot of pain in his stomach. He curled up in a ball every time he felt it. Anna was still very much the root of his agony, but he wouldn't change their time together for the world.

Taylor rushed to open Anna's passenger side door. He knew she would try to open it herself. She was gracious about it, but she clearly she preferred to open her own doors. They walked to the penthouse elevator in silence. Both were very much aware that her presence could back fire and make things worse, but he truly believed that she could help him. She glanced at him for reassurance; he nodded her head and pressed the up button on the elevator. They both stepped inside and watched the door closed. All of their senses were heightened; adrenaline was coursing through their veins. If he didn't have self-control, his eyes might have started glowing; Anna was truly a calming presence. He looked over at her and saw her expression change from fear to confidence. She was going to be strong for Christian because that was what he needed from her right now. She turned to face him.

"I'd like to speak to him alone," she said.

He didn't think that was a good idea. Taylor hadn't seen Christian all day. Was Christian already in his wolf form?

"Please, it'll be alright. I'll scream if I need help."

He shook his head. She'll scream? Even she was aware of the potential danger and she still decided to see Christian. She was a beautiful brave woman. Christian was lucky to have her.

"Alright, if you think it's best. Don't hesitate to ask for help, understand."

"Yes, I understand."

She knew that Christian would never hurt her, but she would raise the alarm if she was mistaken. It would devastate him if he hurt her and she didn't want to cause him anymore pain. She smiled up at Taylor. Taylor couldn't smile back; he had seen too much to be completely reassured with her plan. The elevator bell sounded and the doors pulled apart. She took a step toward the open doors and looked back at him before she looked ahead and walked back into Christian's apartment. She heard the elevator doors close behind her and she jumped. She looked around the living room and felt the silence. Nothing was humming in this house and the energy around her was dim. She couldn't explain it, but she felt Christian fading. She didn't have time to question her intuition; she needed to help him.

She walked toward his bedroom. How could this place be so quiet? As she walked closer to his room, she started to hear his groans. His voice hitched and she rushed toward his open bedroom door and stood at the foot of his bed. His eyes were squeezed shut and she heard him repeating his name back to himself. She covered her mouth and cried. Christian was terribly sick.

"Christian…"

"Anna…"

He kept his eyes closed. He thought he smelled Anna's scent, but obviously he was mistaken. If he opened his eyes, he would only see the bedroom wall. He was slipping and he his strength was fading. The separation between him and his wolf was becoming unstable and he didn't know if he was going to lose his mind in the next few hours. He felt a soft touch on his shoulder.

"Christian."

He opened his eyes and saw the love of his life in front on him. He looked down at her arm as it touched his shoulder.

"You're burning up. We have to get you…"

Before she could finish her sentence, he grabbed her arms and flipped her on her back on the bed. He snarled down at her and his eyes glowed.

"Christian, it's me, Anna."

He looked down at her like she was an intruder and snarled again. She tried to move her arms, but he was too strong. His grip was starting to become unbearable as he started to squeeze her arms harder. She gasped.

"You're hurting me."

His eyes stopped glowing and he looked over her body. Anna was here. He removed his hands from her, crawled off the bed and backed himself against the wall. She saw the pain in his eyes. His eyes glowed again, but this time she knew he wasn't a threat to her anymore. He was ashamed of what he done.

"Why are you here?"

She felt the sting of his cold words and reared back. He was obviously trying to protect himself, but why would he feel the need to protect himself from her? She never intended to hurt him.

"I came here because I was worried about you."

He chuckled. Now she was getting pissed.

"Is something funny?"

"You left me Anna; you have no reason to be here anymore."

She moved off the bed and walked toward him. He pushed back against the wall as if to will it to move. He was genuinely afraid of her. She stood in front of him and raised her hand to touch him.

"Don't touch me."

He slid away from her and fell on his knees. His wolf decided it wanted out. He couldn't let it back into his mind right now. The first thing it would want to do is to see Anna. Why did she come here? She knelt down and touched his back and that was it. His eyes glowed and Christian was lost. She felt his back become rigid. Something had changed. She removed her hand from his skin, stood up and took a few steps back.

"Christian?"

He stood up facing away from her and rolled his neck. The way he rolled his neck made her pause. He turned around, closed the space between them and touched the side of her face. His eyes glowed and returned to normal. Christian's wolf had taken over.

"Anna..."

She wasn't completely afraid, but she knew Christian didn't want this to happen. He was out of control and his wolf forced its way out. Why would it do that?

"Where's Christian?"

He removed his hand from her and growled. She cautiously reached for his hand again and held it. He looked back at her with anguish in his eyes.

"He...hurt me."

She squeezed his hand. She cared for the man as much as his wolf. What had Christian done to himself? She embraced him and slowly sat down on the floor. He felt like a stone; every muscle in his body was tight. She did what she thought he needed from her and simply held his head against her chest. She rubbed his drenched hair and sat in silence. He had hurt himself to core. He needed more help than she could provide for him. Where do werewolves go for help? She thought of Christian's biological father, but quickly dismissed it. She had to respect his decision, but she wasn't going to leave until he faced what was happening to him. He needed help. She felt his head rub against her.

"It's alright. You're safe."

He whimpered and embraced her. Her eyes teared up again. His wolf was traumatized and she wanted to know why.

Mai sat in front of Raphael in a restaurant as she covered her eyes with large brown rimmed sunglasses. She wore a simple flower dress with tan sandals. She tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. Raphael vigorously ate his large glazed roast beef sandwich housed in sour dough bread and would finish off his smothered mashed potatoes later. The waiter came back and asked if she wanted anything else. Raphael didn't like how the waiter looked at her, but kept his growl to himself. He knew that she would not tolerate such rude behavior and it would also draw unwanted attention to them. She took another light sip of her lemonade and pretended it was something stronger. Unfortunately, it was before 5:00pm and she wasn't in Europe anymore.

"The food is wonderful here," said Raphael.

"I'm glad you like it," said Mia.

He felt her agitation again. Why was she so complex? Her feelings ranged from angry, to frustrated to aroused within minutes of each other. He was trying to figure her out, but she was making it very difficult for him. When she saw that he was nearly finished with his food, she looked for the waiter, raised her hand, the waiter nodded his head.

"Check please."

Raphael swallowed and looked back at the waiter. Raphael turned back toward his table and curled his lip. She looked back at him; he straightened his posture and cleared his throat. The waiter walked up to her and dropped the check in the middle of the table. She smiled and reached for the check. Raphael placed his hand over hers to stop her from taking the bill. Both paused and looked up at each other. The hunger in each other's eyes would have made anyone who saw them blush. He raised his hand, she let go of the bill and he slid the bill toward him.

"I can pay."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Mia lightly rubbed the front her neck. She wanted him now.

"Where are you staying?"

He smiled.

"I haven't found a place yet. Would you like to join me?"

Anna couldn't say for sure, but she knew that a lot of time had passed. She needed to convince his wolf to let Christian retake control so she could talk to him. She thought about both of their suffering and became disgusted. She planned to give Christian some tough love. Everyone had problems and he had to get through them like everyone else. Their break up wasn't easy for her either, but she had to move on to stay sane. He must do the same.

"Can I ask you to do something?"

She felt his body rise and fall with his breath. She took his silence as permission to continue speaking.

"Can I talk to Christian?"

She felt him start to pull away from her. She held him and he stopped moving.

"I'm…scared…of him."

She rubbed the back of his head and whispered in his ear.

"I'm not going to let him do this to you again. You can trust me, please I need to talk to him."

She let him move this time and he looked up at her. She gave him a reassuring smile. Even though, she left him. He trusted her more than his human side at the moment. She came to help them and Christian put him in a dark cage. He gently kissed her on the lips and closed his eyes. She didn't expect to feel his lips on hers ever again and her body reacted to his touch. He opened his eyes. She saw his eyes glow for a moment like before; then she saw Christian's eyes again. He quickly moved away from her, stood up and looked down at her.

"Thank you for helping me, but I no longer need you here."

She stood up so quickly, that she stumbled and almost fell to the floor. He caught her by wrapping his arm around her waist. Both were aware of how their touch sparked heat between them. She steadied herself and took a step back from him. She glared at him with water filled eyes. He was too angry to care. She ruined him and had the nerve to pretend to care about his well being. This was guilt and nothing more.

"Just leave, Anna."

"No."

"What?"

She pushed him and he barely moved.

"No!"

They stared at each other full of rage and agitation. She wanted to figure out what was happening to him and he just wanted to suffer in peace. Neither of them were leaving until they achieved their goal.

 **Thanks for reading! The big blow up between Anna and Christian is about to happen. Well, I may delay it a little bit, but their confrontation will happen in the next two chapters. Of course they will be getting back together, but now Christian has to learn to open his heart again. Anna has to fully commit to him if their relationship is going to work.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Christian balled his hands so tight that both of them heard his knuckles crack. Anna looked down at his hands and all of the aggression left her. He was in pain and she needed to remind herself that he needed help. She exhaled and took a step toward him. He lowered his head and backed away. Why was he acting like this? He was an alpha man in every sense of the word, a supernatural creature. He had no reason to be afraid of her. She took another step toward him and gently touched his upper arm. His hands relaxed.

"Anna, please go. I can't see you right now."

"Did you lock away your wolf? How can you even do that?"

He looked away from her. He was ashamed to be seen like this. He would rather have his breakdown with anyone else, but Anna. Corin could have walked through that door tonight and he would have at least had his anger. Now all he had was frustration and weakness. If she touched him any further, he may become undone. He looked down at her hand. She released her grip.

"It said you hurt him? What did he mean by that?"

"I locked him away."

"How?"

He shrugged his shoulders like a teenager that didn't give a damn about anything. Anna had to count in to ten her mind to regain her patience.

"I somehow willed it and after a few attempts, I didn't hear him anymore."

Anna was horrified. She could only imagine where his wolf was kept. He wasn't aware of anything and was probably fading inside Christian's mind. If she hadn't come when she did, maybe Christian would have lost his werewolf side completely. She wasn't an expert of werewolf anatomy, but she doubted that was a good thing.

"I'm glad you're back, Christian."

He gave her a cold stare. Whatever she was attempting to do was only making him more upset. He was ready to live without her, but she cannot just show up to his place unannounced and pretend that her scent doesn't drive him crazy. She had to let him go entirely if this break up was going to work. He could smell her desire for him, but he also heard her heart rate, it was elevated, which meant she was stressed about something; probably him. How could he make her see that she didn't need to do things like this for him?

"Alright, Anna. Let's talk. First, I'd like to put some clothes on. Is that alright?"

Anna looked down at his lean muscular frame. He was still delicious in every way. She bit her lip and looked back up at his face. She saw him arch his eyebrow. He was right, she had no right to ogle him like that anymore and it sent mixed messages. He was not dressed and if they were going to have a distraction free conversation; it made sense for him to put on some clothes. She nodded her head. He turned and all but stomped to his bedroom.

"Don't take too long or I'm coming after you!"

He turned around and looked at her.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

He smiled after he turned away from her. She had grown so much and he liked her new no-nonsense attitude. He believed in the same principle. She also didn't lose her empathy; her maturing only made her stronger in his eyes. He turned around and continued to walk toward his room. Part of him wanted to test and see if she would come and check on him, but being playful with each other was no longer appropriate. He still took his time; he wasn't going to rush for anyone, not even Anna.

When he walked out, he wore a hunter green shirt and blue jeans. She looked him up and down again. What was wrong with her? Maybe she should invest in a vibrator or something. She noticed that he was barefoot. He loved walking around barefoot in his apartment. He motioned his arm toward the couch. She walked to the couch and they both sat down on it at the same time. They also noticed they were too close for comfort. He cleared his throat and slid a foot or two away from her. Her shoulders relaxed a bit. She looked over at him and waited for him to speak. He would be innocent until proven guilty in her eyes. If he started spouting BS, she would call him on it and demand real answers.

"Anna, you were everything to me."

Her heart fell twelve floors, but she kept listening. She knew she would have to barricade her heart if she was going to survive this conversation.

"I challenged Sierra for you, Anna. She couldn't be allowed to think she could get away with hurting the people I cared about."

His eyes went dark as he thought about the night Anna was taken from him. She became slightly afraid. It was the same violence she didn't want to be the cause of with him m again. She knew the challenge had to be done, but it was because of her. She didn't want to force him into that kind of danger again and leaving him was the only way she thought she could do it.

"She was a coward for trying to hurt you and I just reminded her of that. This wasn't your fault Anna."

"I wish I could believe that…"

This time his stare was hard, but gentle. He knew all along why she left him and he let her go.

"This isn't about me right now."

He titled his head to the side. She was right, but he didn't have to be a werewolf to know he struck a nerve with her. He couldn't allow himself to make any assumptions. She was here for his wellbeing and nothing more.

"You're right. I just have one question of my own."

She shifted in her seat slightly. She knew she was going to regret the question, but she allowed him to proceed.

"Go on."

"My answer may change everything between us and I care about you enough to leave it be. With that being said? Do you still want me to answer your question?"

She took a deep breath. Did she really want to know what he was going to say to her? She was also a little put off by his cockiness. How could one answer make her fall in love with him again? _You never stopped_ , said the back of her mind. _Shut up_ , she responded back in her mind. She returned her attention back to the most beautiful man she had ever seen. How could she say no now? She had to know the truth.

"Tell me, Christian."

He smirked for a moment and became serious again.

"Alright, my wolf chose you as my mate; I will never fall in love with anyone else again. I may find someone if you die, but I doubt I would survive much longer after you. As a man, I wanted to respect your wishes, but my other half…he didn't understand."

He stopped speaking to make sure he didn't breakdown in front of her again. She wanted to comfort him, but she knew it wasn't what he wanted from her. She forced her hands on her knees and kept them there.

"So I did what I had to do to survive losing you. I don't know if I could go through that again, Anna. You should go and never see me again."

She formed a soft smile as uncontrollable tears fell down her face. His hard gaze faltered instantly and he raised his hand to touch the side of her face. She didn't move. It was if she was in some sort of shock. He used his thumb to rub the tear from one of her eyes. She reached for his hand and pulled it away. He had his answer. When he moved to take his hand away completely, she wrapped her hand around his wrist. She was surprisingly strong, but he could sense the strength wasn't coming from her body.

"Can you forgive me, Christian?"

"Of course I can."

A light wind blew around the room. He looked around and back at her. She didn't seem to be aware of what was happening around her? He raised his nose to sniff the air. Suddenly it smelled like nothing, all he could do was sense that something was different.

"Anna, are you doing this?"

She blinked and the wind stopped surrounding them.

"Doing what?"

He looked down at his hand and was now able to remove it from her grip. She looked down at his hand and back at him. She didn't remember him touching her face. He sensed her distress and slid toward her.

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

She shook her head.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I would have never have done anything to hurt you. If I knew…"

She stopped herself from finishing her words. If she knew, she may have never have started a relationship with him.

"I know, I am as much to blame for this as you, but I have no regrets."

She quickly moved towards him and kissed him. He held her at the elbows, but he didn't have the will to move her away from him. They both closed their eyes and continued to mold their lips against each other. She moaned. Her doubts were lost in the moment. She couldn't admit to herself that they were over and seeing him again was just as dangerous as she thought it would be. Seeing him strong, yet vulnerable broke down all of her defenses. She had to have him again. She pushed him back, slowly raised his shirt and kissed every area of skin she could see as she moved up his shirt. He laid his head back and let her lips set every part of him on fire. She then proceeded to kiss him slowly and deeper around his stomach and chest. He moaned. Why was he letting this happen? He knew where this was going to end; he also didn't have the strength to resist her. When he felt her try to lift his shirt over his head, he opened his eyes and raised his arms over his head so she could remove it.

She took off her jacket, sat up and unzipped her dress. He just realized that she was wearing one of the dresses he bought her. He smiled. She only pulled her arms from the sleeves and let the top half of the dress fall around her flat stomach. She bent down and kissed him again. He wrapped his arms around her and slid to the floor. She yelled from the shock and laughed. They both looked into each other's eyes. He pushed back he tousled hair, pulled her head back down to his face and kissed hear again. They were both getting reacquainted with each other. Neither knew what this was, but they kept going. They couldn't see past their carnal need to fuck each other.

She sat up and started to grind against him. His penis stood to attention and became sensitive to her rhythm. It took everything in him not to turn her over and mount her right there. The slow tension was equally as pleasurable. He started to move against her. She quickly held his shoulders.

"Not now," she said in soft airy voice.

He stopped moving and he focused on feeling her covered core against his member. She spread her legs wider and closed he eyes. She was really getting off and he enjoyed watching her. He moved his hands to her ass and began go massage it. She gasped and smiled. So this was okay. He continued to massage her. She gripped his shoulders harder and he smelled her sex start to drip.

"Who else can make you feel like this, Anna?"

She kept rubbing against his cock.

"No one," she responded in a groan.

"Come back to me, I'll do anything you want."

He pulled her towards him again with one hand and moved his other hand to her core and began to slowly and powerfully rotate his hand over her clit. She started to move against his hand and closed her eyes. He always felt so good.

"Will you come back to me…"

She opened her mouth to speak.

"Yes, I'll come back to you."

 **Thanks for reading! Finally, Anna said yes! Seeing him again and being so close to him was just too much for her to bear. She couldn't walk away from him again. It may be a bit of a bumpy ride, but their belief in each other will keep them through anything.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Christian pulled her close with one arm and held her as if to make sure she was real. In his state, he might have already lost his mind and he was still in his bed. He kept working her core and kissed her. She placed both hands on the side of his face and kissed him. She quickly let go of him as her pussy tightened for the ultimate release. She pushed against him and yelled out in ecstasy. He lifted her small frame and placed her on her back. She quickly sat up to pulled the rest of her dress off her body. He sat up quickly and disrobed as well. She watched his every movement. He couldn't do anymore foreplay and quickly entered her with one hard thrust. She gasped from the sensation alone.

He looked down at her as he his hips began to rock her body. All she wanted to do was feel him inside her. Her pussy was still tight. He doubted she had been with anyone else. He opened his abilities to sense everything that was happening to her. She would start sweating soon, her rapid heartrate meant she was extremely excited and enjoying his dick inside her. It made him want to pleasure her even more. He pulled her close to him. She started to move her hips against his member and the sensation inside her became twice as strong. He groaned and kept pounding inside her. Her voice hitched and her body shook as she came. He growled and worked toward his own release. While she was still feeling wave after wave of pleasure, his cock finally released its seed inside her. They both held each other tight and slowly came back down to the floor beneath them. He pulled pack just enough to look at her, she came back to him and this time he wasn't going to let her go.

Anna opened her eyes and saw darkness from Christian's windows. She had fallen asleep on the floor. Christian was sleeping soundly beside her. She lightly moved her hand to his chest; it rose and fell smoothly. He probably hadn't slept this way in a while. She snuggled close to him and thought about what she said earlier. She committed to him again and she knew there was no going back. She closed her eyes to go back to sleep, but sat up quickly when she realized she needed to go home. She felt him stir beside her; his hand moved over her stomach and started to gently rub it with his hand.

"Ah, Christian?"

"Yes, Anna."

She closed her eyes. She knew he wasn't going to want her to leave tonight, but she needed to get home so she could get dressed for work tomorrow.

"I need to leave."

He removed his hand and sat up.

"It's the middle of the night."

"I know, but I have a job now. I need to be able to get ready in the morning."

For some reason, his face relaxed and he actually looked relieved. He obviously didn't understand her. The Christian she knew would not be happy to see her go anywhere.

"You can stay here; I'll have Taylor bring you an outfit tomorrow. You should start wearing pants to work."

For the first time in their relationship, she arched her eyebrow at him. His eyes did not waver from hers.

"You bought me the dress."

"Well, even I make mistakes."

She exhaled and shook her head. Even though she expected this argument, she still wished it wasn't happening. He was going to be disappointed and she really didn't want that for him, but she also didn't give a damn about his possessiveness either.

"I'll see you tomorrow Christian."

She gave him a quick kiss, stood up and looked around for her dress and coat. He growled and she turned to face him with a 'did you just growl at me' look. He actually shrunk back a little.

"What was that, honey?"

"Nothing."

She nodded her head and picked up her dress.

Anna walked into the office as if she was floating in the clouds. Hannah was already putting her purse in her bottom desk drawer when she saw Anna walk toward her desk. Hannah smiled at Anna. Anna felt like she had been caught and tried to hide her elation.

"Looks like somebody had a nice time last night," said Hannah.

Anna felt caught.

"Is it that obvious?"

Hannah nodded her head.

Anna did not want Jack to know she was back in a relationship. Frankly, it wasn't his business.

"What can I do?"

"Stop smiling for one and slouch, I guess."

Anna didn't even realize she was smiling. She quickly changed her facial expression and slouched slightly. Jack walked in and saw Anna looking a bit off as she sat at her desk. He walked up to her.

"Are you alright, Anna?"

Anna gave a quick glance to Hannah.

"I'm fine."

"Glad to hear it."

He smiled at her, walked toward his office and lightly shut the door. Anna exhaled. Hannah smiled, but kept typing. She teased her new co-worker enough for the day.

Christian walked into his office and was happy that everything was business as usual. His assistant did express her concern, but he reassured her and everyone on his staff that he was alright. He had a day's worth of work to catch up on since he spent most of yesterday in pain and the evening with Anna. He allowed himself to smile. Anna was back in his life. He doubted anything would change his mood today. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket and was proven wrong about anything changing his mood when he saw Corin's name on the screen. He answered quickly; he didn't want to have his father send someone to check on him.

"Hello, Corin."

"Hello, son."

"How can I help you?"

"I'm worried about you."

Christian gripped the phone, but relaxed his hand to make sure not to break his phone.

"There is nothing to worry about. Didn't Taylor tell you that already?"

"Of course he did. You have a very loyal pack, son."

"What do you want, father?"

Corin smiled. If his son wanted to act petulant then he would respond accordingly.

"I want to see you this weekend for dinner; you can bring Anna if you like."

"I don't think that is necessary. I will come alone. What time?"

Corin was glad to know that Christian was a man of his word. He didn't even question his father's request because they had an agreement. He hoped one day their meetings would be more than an obligation to him.

"I know you're busy, would Friday at 8:00pm be a good time?"

"Eight o'clock is fine. I'll see you then, is there anything else?"

"No, son; I'll let you get to it. It was nice to speak with you."

Christian hated that part of him was open to him. He was actually touched by his father's words.

"Thank you, I'll see you on Friday."

Christian hung up the phone and dropped it on the desk. He was becoming more agitated than usual. The closer he and his father were to each other, the more frustrated he became. Did his father really care about him or was this just pride. Christian was just an heir to him and nothing more. He actually growled softly. Something was wrong. He would never growl in public. Sweat started to form on his forehead. He closed his eyes tried to force himself to calm down. When he opened his eyes, he saw his wolf standing in front of the door staring back at him. It licked its lips. Christian couldn't move. How could this happen? The wolf lunged forward and Christian raised his arms to cover himself. When nothing happened, he moved his arms at his sides and opened his eyes. Nothing was there. He rubbed the sweat off his forehead. Anna hadn't fixed him like he thought; he was still losing himself. His office phone rung, he pressed the speaker phone button.

"I'll be back in an hour, you can still text me if you need anything okay," said Hannah as she walked toward the door.

Anna smiled at Hannah.

"Okay, have a good lunch."

Anna wiped the light sweat from her forehead. Hannah stopped walking and looked at Anna.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little hot for some reason, but I don't feel sick."

Hannah reached in her purse and took out a bottle of vitamin C pills. She handed them to Anna.

"That's how it starts. I'll get it back from you when I come back."

Hannah turned and walked away. Anna opened the bottle, took a pill and swallowed it without water. She left the pill bottle on her desk so she'd remember to give it back to her. She hoped she hadn't caught a cold. She really couldn't afford to be sick.

Jack's office door opened. Anna jumped slightly. He rarely had his door open this morning.

"Anna, can I see you in my office?"

"Yes, sir."

"It's Jack, remember?"

Anna nodded her head, stood up and walked into his office. She heard the door shut behind her. For some reason, the room felt colder than usual; she didn't want to stay in his office long. She had never been completely alone with him before. He leaned back on his desk and looked at her. She clasped her hands in front of her to keep from covering her body in fear. He looked down at her hands and back up to her.

"Anna, are you comfortable here?"

"Of course, I love working here."

He looked away and nodded his head before returning his attention back toward her.

"That's great to hear. A lot of assistants have come and go and I'm kind of tired of wasting my time looking through applications.

She had no idea why he was talking to her about previous employees. It seemed inappropriate and frankly, she had other things to do.

"I want you to like being here. I think you'd do well."

"I like being here."

"Good. If there's anything I can do, please let me know."

She smiled and walked out of his office as fast as she could. When she sat back down at her desk, she heard his door close again. She exhaled and thought about what happened. Maybe she was mistaken. He hadn't officially done anything wrong. It just didn't feel right.

Jack raised his head and sniffed the air around him and his eyes glowed. Anna had just had sex with someone. He wanted to growl, she was supposed to be his and his alone. It was probably the person she was hiding from him last night. No matter, she will be his soon enough.

Christian sat in the back of his car as Taylor drove him home. Taylor looked at him through the rearview mirror.

"Everything is fine, Taylor."

He thought about Anna. If he wasn't stable it was probably best to stay away from her. He hated that he was going to put her through this, but it needed to be done. He planned to tell her tonight; she deserved to hear it from him directly. He doesn't know how much time he has left to love her.

 **Thanks for reading! Christian is already trying to give up on their relationship, but Anna will not let that happen easily. She feels like she can really help Christian and she's not going to leave him alone to suffer.**

 **Its official, Jack is also a werewolf. If Christian knew, he would have found out everything about this Jack to make sure Anna was safe.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Anna waited for Christian at the back entrance of her office building. She scolded herself for not thinking this through. If Christian saw Jack, he would immediately see Jack as a threat and she didn't want to witness some sort of alpha male pissing contest. She was also worried about Christian's mental state; he was just recovering from separating himself from his wolf. He may not be himself yet and she did not want him unnecessarily agitated.

She saw Christian's car turn toward her. Somehow she was able to tell something was off. Taylor parked the car in front of her, stepped out of the car and gave her a quick look. Something was wrong. Had Christian relapsed? Taylor opened the door and Anna sat down in the passenger seat and looked directly at Christian. He scrolled through his phone as if she wasn't there. He looked up at her and gave her a weak smile.

"Hi," said Christian.

"Hi, is everything okay?"

His eyes did not waiver, but she knew he was hiding something.

"Everything is fine. Taylor, can you take us home, please."

She leaned back in the chair. Maybe, he was just busy. He did miss a full day from work. He also could have called and let her know he needed some time to himself tonight. Would she be a little upset? Of course, but she would have let him have the night to himself.

Taylor did not like how Christian was treating Anna. Christian was putting up his walls again. This morning, Taylor was sure Christian was alright, but now Christian was acting cold again.

"Taylor, I've changed my mind," said Christian.

Christian turned toward Anna. She had no idea what was going to come out of this man's mouth.

"I'd like to take you to a restaurant, is that okay?"

She looked down at her white blouse and fitted black skirt and back at him. She felt dressed enough for a date so she agreed to go. He smiled at her again and she did not like it.

"Taylor, Michael Oro's please."

"Kate has been trying to get us in there for weeks. Do you have a reservation?"

He eyed her. Of course, he didn't. He planned to walk in there and be seated at whatever table he liked. She exhaled. She had already agreed to go. Maybe she could convince Christian to go on a double date with Kate and Elliot sometime. She looked down at Christian's free hand. She wanted to reach for it, but decided against it. He did not want to be touched right now.

As expected, Christian and she were seated as soon as he walked up to the hostess and said his name. The hostess guided them to a back room. Anna imagined that most restaurants like this had extra space for surprise visits. The hostess placed each menu on the table and asked if they wanted anything to drink. Anna and Christian declined. They both knew she had other things to do. Christian pulled a chair out for Anna and waited for her to sit down. She sat down and he easily lifted her chair and moved her toward the table. She looked around and hoped no one noticed him using his strength.

"Most men just slide the chair toward the table."

"I'm not like other men."

She forced herself not to roll her eyes at him.

He picked up the menu and looked at it as if it was an important contract that he planned to sign. She picked up her menu and tried to focus on the words in front of her instead of thinking about his odd behavior. Since they were in public, she planned to behave until she was able to privately ask him what the heck was going on. Maybe that was his plan all along? This wasn't a date, this was a distraction. Her blood started to boil. He eyed her over the menu. He obviously sensed her anger.

"What is it, something happened at work?"

"No, not at work."

"Are you upset with me?"

She eyed him and he had his answer; he'd been caught. He was trying to have one last meal together, but now he may have made everything worse.

"You are upset with me."

"Yes! Yes, Christian, I'm upset with you. You brought me here and took away a perfectly good table for another couple."

He bristled. Only four other people in Seattle were allowed to reserve this table. He hadn't ruined anyone's evening. He knew if he corrected her assumptions, she would just become more upset with him, so he left her last comment alone.

"You're right; I should have taken you home."

She blinked and looked at him. What did he mean he should have taken her home? Was he trying to break up with her? They had just gotten back together and made love on his floor. No, this can't be right. He must be out of his mind again to think he can have sex with her and leave her the next day. Their relationship was worth more than that.

"What do you mean, Christian?"

Before Christian could speak, their waiter arrived at the table.

Anna stomped to the car, opened the passenger door and slammed it shut. Taylor decided it was best to stay out of this conflict. Christian looked unfazed as he walked to the car, sat down beside Anna and shut the door.

"Where to," asked Taylor.

"Take us to his apartment please," said Anna.

She was not going to give him any leeway to sabotage their relationship. Taylor glanced at Christian through his rearview mirror. Christian nodded this head slightly to signal that it was alright to follow Anna's orders.

After Taylor parked the car, Christian turned to face Anna.

"I'm sorry; I should have handled this differently."

She folded her arms over her chest.

"You mean handling breaking up with me differently?"

He closed his mouth and she waited for him to speak. So it was true. He planned to end their relationship before they even had a chance.

"I can't believe this. I'm not talking about his in the car."

She opened the car door. Christian and Taylor looked at each other.

"Christian!"

Christian and Taylor jumped slightly before Christian walked to toward the elevator to catch up with Anna.

Christian followed Anna into the living room. She hadn't faced him since she started walking toward the elevator. She stood away from him, but he smelled her tears. He quickly walked up to her and turned her around to face him. She quickly covered her face with her hands.

"Anna, look at me."

She moved her hands away and looked up at him proudly with red watery eyes. If he wanted to see her so badly, then he would have to deal with her tears. He took out the grey handkerchief from his jacket pocket and delicately wiped her fallen tears away. His touch was so gentle when he wanted it to be. She closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Anna. I just don't want to hurt you."

"This isn't hurting me?"

He placed his hands in his pockets; she waited for his excuse. She was starting to debate if it was worth staying together. Was this some sort of payback? Christian was known to be a hard business man, but she never thought he would do something so cruel to her. He closed his eyes; the only way she would let him go was if he told her everything.

"I saw my wolf in my office today and it ran towards me."

"What do you mean?"

He opened his eyes and rubbed his forehead.

"It means I hallucinated; I'm still sick Anna. I can't have you around me when I lose complete control."

"Christian…"

"I'm serious; I plan to make arrangements and do what I have to do."

She took a step back. What did he mean by make arrangements? Was he going to hurt himself? Taylor would never agree to it and she could not even imagine what Corin would do if Christian died.

"So you're giving up. Christian Grey, the self-made billionaire and werewolf prince is giving up on himself?"

His lips curled, but he did not snarl at her. Good, she was glad to see that he still had some pride left. She had to push him and make him want to fight again. He wasn't a guy that needed hugs and kisses, he needed to be kicked in the ass and reminded that he had responsibilities and options. He wasn't dead or dying, so he still had a chance to survive this.

"When did you become so afraid of your own shadow?"

He clenched his jaw, she was challenging him and he didn't like it. What was she trying to do? He just admitted that he might be unstable and now she's trying to set him off.

"I've said what I needed to say, it's over."

He turned away from her and walked toward his bedroom. His chest felt like someone stepped on it with a sharp nail shoe. He just needed to keep this façade up for a few more minutes to convince her that he was done with her. She stood there helpless and watched him walk away. He mind was made up. Soon her legs would allow her to walk again, but for right now, all she could do was stand there and watch him walk away from her.

He took out his cell phone to call Taylor and suddenly fell to the ground. Anna rushed toward him.

"Stop," he said in a strained inhuman voice.

His wolf was taking over his body again, but this wasn't his wolf. A mindless beast was trying to break through his body.

"Anna, please …you have to leave. This isn't my wolf, it's…"

His back cracked and his body contorted. Anna watched in horror. She didn't know how to help him. Should she run away? No, if she left, there would be no hope for him. She kneeled down beside him. He yelled out again.

"Leave…"

It was the last words he said to her before his eyes became vacant. Instead of pure grey hairs, black and grey hairs started to push through his skin. He was transforming into something else. He would be gone soon. A light wind blew past her.

"I know what I have to do."

Her eyes turned white and she looked down at the nearly fully formed beast in front of her.

"Stop," she said.

The wolf whimpered and the transformation ceased. He was now a mutated creature lying on the floor filled with fear. She placed her hand on his stomach and focused on repairing him. Her powers guided her to what needed to be done. The wolf shook and started to transform back into Christian. He looked up at her not knowing what to think. She stood up.

"Stand up," she commanded.

He stood up against his will and could not move after that. She placed her hands on the side of his face.

"I can help you."

He groaned as he felt something being pulled from his body.

"Anna…"

She continued to hold his head in place. What was she? Both of their eyes rolled in the back of their heads as their bodies became weak. She felt something pulling from her as well. Soon they fell to the ground across from each other with their eyes closed. Their essence had been changed.

Anna opened her eyes and sat up slowly. The last thing she remembered was seeing Christian walk away and…she remembered the rest. She discovered her powers? It had to be a dream. Maybe she was still sleeping at the office and the day old lunch was getting to her. She reached to touch her forehead and stopped when she noticed her hand. It wasn't hers, but it looked familiar. She looked down at her body. She was naked and she had a penis! What happened? She looked over at the other body, saw it stand up and stumble before touching the back of her head.

"Christian?"

Anna's body looked back at her.

"Anna?"

Christian's eyes widened. He looked down at the body he was in and saw Anna's dress and heels.

"What did you do, Anna?"

"I don't know."

 **Thank you for reading! Anna's powers have been revealed and there's more to come. I plan to have some fun with the body swap as well. Anna's journey is going to be a struggle, but Christian's previous experience with his own transformation will help her through this.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Christian walked up to Anna and helped his body up. He didn't like how timid she acted in his body, but that was not important right now. They had to figure out what happened to them. Anna quickly covered her chest and genitals. Christian gently removed the arm that was wrapped around his chest and placed the hand over the other hand that was over his member. Anna looked down.

"I'll get you some clothes," said Christian.

Christian struggled to walk in Anna's heels and decided to take them off. She was too horrified to laugh at his awkwardness. Until she was wearing clothes again, she would not feel comfortable. She slowly removed her hands away from his penis and looked down at it. This was actually real. She hated how it felt. She heard light footsteps and covered herself again.

"Thank you," said Anna.

She grimaced when she heard his voice. They had to fix this. He handed her a black shirt, sweatpants and a pair of red boxers. Seeing the boxers made her want to cry. Christian saw his face scrunch up as if he was starting to cry.

"Don't, you're a man now," he said.

Anna started crying immediately. Christian silently scolded himself for being insensitive.

"I'm sorry; I know you must hate seeing yourself like this," said Anna.

"No, it's fine. I was just being…"

"An ass."

"Yes."

"How are you handling this so well?"

"I don't know."

Anna quickly dressed herself. She hated how aware she was of his cock. Were these boxers the right size? His cock felt uncomfortable in them. She looked at her own body again and she felt his dick twitch. She jumped back, looked down it and back at him.

"What was that?"

Christian did not want to have this conversation with her, but it had to be done. He reluctantly explained that their bodies may not be completely affected by the transfer. Some body parts may react out of habit to certain things. Anna felt suddenly nauseous. She walked toward the couch and sat down. Christian walked over to her and touched her back. She felt his penis stir again.

"Don't do that, please," said Anna.

Christian removed his hand and watched her. They needed to address what happened last night. Anna was supernatural and very powerful. Christian never thought to research other creatures, but now he needed to find out what Anna could be. His mother may know something.

"Am I not human?"

He heard the pain in her voice. She was terrified of herself. Much like he was after his first transformation. To be raised human and find out that you're something else almost devastated him. He didn't know who he was anymore. Was he a monster now? How could he go back to school? Were his brother and sister in danger? If it wasn't for his mother to guide him, he may not have become the hybrid he was today. He had to be that person for Anna right now. She needed to know that her powers did not change who she was; she was still kind and sweet, but she was losing her patience more. He would leave that last part out for now.

"Come here," he said as he pulled his body toward her chest. "You're still you, Anna. You just have abilities now. You'll learn how to control them."

Christian could barely hold his body in her arms. He felt her squeeze him. He kept his mouth closed to keep from groaning out. She didn't need another thing to worry about right now.

"What am I?"

"I don't know, but we'll find out."

"I didn't know you were this horny for me."

He laughed, but stopped when he heard how high pitched it was.

"Now you know."

Taylor stood in front the odd couple with his hand over his mouth. Anna stared at him without blinking and Christian looked more timid with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slouched. Their scents were the same so the switch would be undetectable to wolves. Taylor removed his hand from his mouth.

"How did this happen," asked Taylor?

"We don't know yet," said Christian with Anna's voice.

"We know it's somehow my fault," said Anna.

Christian rubbed his back to comfort Anna.

"I can find out what I can discretely of course," said Taylor.

"Thank you, but first I'd like to speak with my mother. She may know something about this."

Taylor nodded his head.

"I'll get the car ready, ma'am. I mean sir."

Taylor walked away quickly. Anna laughed; Christian looked over at her, but smiled after seeing her happy.

Grace woke up in her bed, rolled over and inhaled her husband's scent. They had made love again last night and she enjoyed every minute of it. He was going out of town again so he had to leave early to catch his flight. She sat up and stretched. Her core was completely satisfied and relaxed. When she opened the door, Mia opened her door and looked at her mother.

"Good morning, mom and yuck," said Mia.

Grace chuckled.

"That's how I feel when you come home and smell that you've showered three times," said Grace.

Mia's mouth dropped open. Her mother just called her out. She knew the multiple showers would be obvious, but she preferred her mother to think she was covering up one man's scent on her skin, instead of two men. She wasn't ashamed of her sexuality, but she still couldn't bring herself to tell her mother about her preferences. Grace yawned.

"Breakfast should be ready shortly," asked Grace.

Mia was out the door thirty minutes after she ate breakfast. She was used to her daughter running away now. Grace had to remind herself that Mia was not a little girl anymore and she had a right to live her life. Mia always came back if Grace called her to go do something together. Grace wasn't much of a shopper, but Mia loved buying clothes, so Grace tried to use that as an excuse to see her when she wasn't working at the hospital.

Grace walked up to her bedroom and saw that she had a text message. It read: _Hi, mom, I'll be at the cabin. I'd like to see you today._

The text read like they had something planned there. She called Christian back, but there was no answer. She responded to his text and quickly got dressed. The cabin was over forty miles away. She prayed he was alright.

Anna watched Christian try to convincingly portray her as she called into work. She hated that she had to do this, it was completely unprofessional. She hoped she would not be labeled a flake at work.

"Yes, I'm not well. I'll be in soon."

Anna shook her head.

"Tomorrow? Tomorrow, I will be there tomorrow. Thank you."

Anna mouthed the word Helen.

"Helen."

Christian hung up the phone and gave it back to Anna. Anna texted Kate to buy her some time.

"You think this will be fixed tomorrow," asked Christian?

"No, but I don't have a choice. Calling in today, may have ruined my career."

"I can buy you publishing house."

"I don't want you to buy me a publishing house. I want to work at the one I'm at."

"Well, I can buy…"

"No Christian!"

Christian closed his mouth and frowned. She was right, he couldn't buy her happiness and she loved her job. He would do whatever he needed to do, besides buying the company, to make sure she kept her job. He took his small hands and massaged his shoulders. Anna visibly relaxed.

"It's going to be alright. If something worse was going to happen, it would have happened already."

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

Christian actually had no idea if this was going to get worse or not, but he said it to keep her calm. Anna looked down at the penis.

"Again?"

"Just think of something unattractive and slightly pull at your inseam when no one is looking."

Anna eyes widened.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

Anna sniffed the air. A certain scent was moving toward the cabin door. Christian walked up to the door without thinking. Anna held his arm. Christian looked up at her.

"Christian, it's me," said Grace.

"We have to give her time to adjust to this," said Anna. "I'll answer the door."

Christian nodded his head and Anna walked to the door. She took a moment to gather her thoughts before opening the door. Grace hugged Christian's body immediately. Anna was rigid.

"What's wrong, are you alright," asked Grace?

She pulled away slightly to look at him. He looked a bit unkempt and his hair was disheveled.

"Hi," said Anna.

Grace eyed him again before turning to face Anna. Grace was glad to see Anna, if she was there then Christian couldn't be in too much trouble. Why would they ask her to meet them out here?

"Anna, it's good to see you again."

Christian closed the door.

"It's good to see you too, mother," said Christian.

Grace looked back at her son and toward Anna again. She took a step back from Christian.

"Son," she asked as she looked toward the young woman in front of her.

The woman nodded her head. Grace moved past Anna and walked up to Christian.

"What happened," asked Grace?

"I'm sorry to involve you in this, but we need your help. First, I don't want you to get angry."

Grace gave Christian her best mom look. What had he done? She knew Anna wouldn't be the one to blame for this nonsense. Grace exhaled.

"Under the circumstances, I will do my best Christian. Just tell me everything."

Christian looked down for a moment. He knew his mom was going to hit the roof after she found out he locked his wolf away. Christian told Grace about the break up and that he silenced his wolf. Grace was furious, but she remained silent to allow him to tell her the whole story.

"Anna has abilities, mother. She switched us and the only way we can fix this is if we find out who she is."

Grace looked back at Anna. It was odd to see his son's body look so unsure of himself. Grace walked up to Anna and hugged her. Anna hugged Grace back. Anna's real mother would never understand what was happening to her. Grace rubbed the back of her son's head.

"We're going to figure this out, I promise," said Grace.

Grace released Anna and glared at Christian. Christian shrunk back slightly.

"You're lucky to be here Christian. If it wasn't for Anna's new powers, you might have died or something worse."

Christian thought about the feeling he felt as he shifted. Pure feral rage was seeping out of him and manifesting itself into a monster. He looked at Anna. If he had hurt her, he would make sure he died soon after.

"At least you're scents haven't changed, so that will help you if your father shows up."

Christian closed his eyes; he had dinner scheduled with his father in two days. He doubted this mess would be fixed by then. He'd worry about that later.

"She's either one of two things," said Grace.

"What am I," asked Anna?

Grace turned around to face Anna.

"Did you have to say anything to make the switch happen?"

"No, I just wanted to save him and somehow I knew I had to switch us to make it work. Christian's mind and body was too weak to fight the transformation…I think I willed this to happen."

Grace exhaled. If Anna was what Grace thought she was, her son's relationship was going to become a lot more difficult.

 **Thanks for reading! I'm pretty sure a lot of you know what Anna is now, but I am going to save that for next week. Christian is going to be Anna's rock in this story, but her new abilities may get in the way of their relationship. They won't break up; they'll just be going through some growing pains.**

 **I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Christian walked up to Anna and stood beside his body. He had a feeling she would need him beside her when she heard his mother's answer. Grace hesitated, neither of them had any idea how much this could spiral out of control. Grace couldn't fathom Anna hurting them, but if Grace was right, Anna could change completely and Christian may not survive it.

"If Anna was able to will something to happen, it requires a lot of power. I don't think she's a witch."

Christian and Anna exhaled.

"Thank God," said Anna.

"You're a Fae," said Grace.

"A what," asked Anna?"

"Some use the term fairies to describe them, but you're kind is a breed of their own," said Grace.

Anna shrunk back a little. There was a combination of fear and anger in Grace's eyes. Anna had never seen Grace like this before. Grace realized how she looked and quickly shook off the frightening things she was told as a child. Anna was different. Grace also knew that the Fae left this realm a long time ago. Some visit, but no one ever had the desire to stay long.

"I'm sorry, Anna. Please forgive me. Fae are not known to be kind creatures."

"So I'm dangerous?"

"No, no," said Grace and Christian.

Christian held his body close and Grace walked up to Christian's body and held his hands.

"You're not dangerous, if you have been living this long as a human; you're more likely a hybrid, like Christian. You're powers won't change you unless you let it. You're strong, Anna. You'll be fine."

Anna nodded her head. She looked down at her body and Christian gave her reassurance. She wasn't alone.

"Do you have anything you can show me? I have to figure this out before something else happens?

Grace gave her a pitying look. All she knew was what she was told as a child and it may not be completely true. She needed to learn from a Fae. She looked at Christian. As Anna's powers grew, she would become a beacon for other Fae. Corin may have more resources, but Grace knew that wasn't an option. She hoped Christian will become open to the idea soon; it would give Anna an opportunity to find out about her people for herself without another Fae's bias. Grace looked around the cabin and back at them.

"Is anyone hungry," asked Grace?

Christian's stomach growled.

"I guess I am," said Anna.

They laughed.

Franklin stood in front of a small stream of water as it flowed in the air and watched the conversation between his daughter and the two werewolves. Unlike his human form, he was a large and muscular man with tanned skin and long black hair. He wore nothing, but a loin cloth and had a large spirit sword strapped to his back. He waved his hand and the stream disappeared. His block was removed and now her powers were manifesting inside her. He thought about the wolf in his child's body and sneered, this was his fault. Now he had to find the right moment to meet her. The realm gates were only opened for so long.

Anna looked at the menu and felt like she wanted everything on it. Werewolves were very hungry.

"Anna, make sure you order a something other than meat so you don't draw attention to yourself, okay," said Grace.

Anna nodded her head. She didn't really want anything else, but she understood why they had to do it. The waitress walked up to them and took their order. Anna ordered double cheese burger with fries. It seemed simple enough. If she was still hungry, they could order something in later. Christian's takeout choices never disappointed her. She was surprised how easy she could hold the large burger in her new hands. She finally was given a perk. She also counted on his werewolf metabolism to eat whatever she wanted. She looked down at the fries, she really didn't want them.

"You don't have to eat them all," said Christian.

 _Good_ , she thought.

"How are you doing," Grace asked Christian?

Christian took a moment to think about what he felt. Everything happened so fast that he didn't have time to think about himself. He looked over at Anna. He didn't want to upset her. Anna's safety was more important to him than anything else right now.

"It's okay, I want to know," said Anna.

"I don't know. I haven't had time to figure this out yet, but I do want my…"

He looked around the diner.

"Stuff back as soon as possible."

"I want my stuff back too," said Anna.

Christian reached over and placed Anna's hand on top of his hand.

"We're going to fix this."

Anna intertwined their hands and realized she made mistake when Christian's dick became half hard. Screw it; they weren't leaving for a while anyway. She needed this right now. His support meant everything to her. It also made her regret leaving him. He would never leave her unless he had some foolish idea to protect her. Grace looked at them and smiled. She felt the same way about Carrick when they were younger, they couldn't keep their hands off each other when they started dating.

"I'd like to keep this between us for now, if that's alright," said Christian.

"Of course, but I don't want to keep secrets from Elliot and Mia long," said Grace.

Grace lowered her eyes. It was already hard enough hiding her abilities from her husband all these years. She didn't want to have more secrets.

Kate could not believe that Anna stayed with Christian last night. Their on again and off again relationship was now giving her whiplash. If only Anna thought to take her advice about work. Anna was right, once Kate changed her attitude and didn't expect become editor of New York magazine in six months; she was able to see things at work clearly. Was her immediate supervisor still a bit of an ass? Yes, but she knew it wasn't directed at her intentionally, so she focused on her work.

Grace could tell that Anna and Christian had enough to deal with for one day, so she left them alone. Taylor drove Anna and Christian home and would glance at them through the review mirror. Anna's body sat up straight as Christian reviewed his emails on his cell phone. Christian's body leaned back and looked out the window.

"Damn it," said Christian.

"What is it," asked Anna?

"One of my managers is allowing our metrics to fall behind and I can't do anything about it right now."

"What did you plan to do?"

Anna saw a fierce look in her eyes that she did not know she was capable of doing. She wasn't intimidated by that look at all, but that was probably going to be the look Christian planned to give the manager to get him to step in line.

"Do you want me to call him," asked Anna?

Christian blinked.

"And do what exactly," asked Christian?

Anna looked at him and changed his face to match his cool demeanor.

"I read the report today and I find it disappointing. Do I need to visit the site myself and figure out what is going on?"

Christian was in awe.

"I believe it," said Taylor.

Christian glared at Taylor before returning his attention toward Anna. Anna smiled, she knew she had Christian nailed whether he would admit it or not.

"My voice isn't that deep," he said.

"It is when you're trying to intimidate someone," she said.

"When have I ever tried to intimate someone in front of you, Anna?"

Taylor cleared his throat.

"The call won't be necessary; my email should be enough for now, but thank you."

She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. His cock stirred again.

"You're welcome, honey."

"Don't call me honey like that please."

They heard Taylor snicker softly. Christian wanted to say something, but after Anna's perfect impersonation of him and Taylor implying he intimidated him from time to time, he let Taylor's chuckle pass for now.

"So the internet isn't always right, but I should be able to find some idea of what this all means on there," she said.

"It doesn't hurt to try," he said.

Anna leaned Christian's head on her shoulder. She was so needy right now; being this close to him was so comforting. He looked up at her and went back to working on his emails. Even though his head was on Anna's shoulder, it still felt right. She made everything better; it was as simple as that. She sat up.

"Can you do me, my voice" she asked?

"What," he asked?

"Can you do me? Could you convince a person or an acquaintance you were me?"

"I don't care to do that."

"So you can't then."

Christian stared at her. He didn't know if it was the testosterone or boredom that made her act like this, but he did not like how she was goading him. He put his cell phone down and smiled at her.

"No," he said.

Christian picked up his cell phone and went back to work. Anna pouted.

"Good one," she said.

"Thank you," he said.

Anna walked into Christian's apartment first and sat down on the couch. Christian was still on his cell phone reviewing daily metrics and financial reports. Anna exhaled. Christian could be surprisingly boring at times. Her cell phone rang; she took it out and stood up. Christian walked over to his body to see what was wrong.

"It's my boss, Jack," she whispered. "You have to answer it."

He gave her an 'are you kidding look' before taking her cell phone and pressing the answer button.

"Hello," said Christian in a lighter voice.

"Hi Anna, I just called to see how you were doing," said Jack.

"I'm okay, just caught something, I didn't want to spread it around the office," said Christian.

Anna was impressed. His tone wasn't spot on, but it was adequate.

"Can I expect you tomorrow," asked Jack?

"Will I be there tomorrow?"

Christian looked at Anna. Anna nodded her head.

"Yes…"

"Good, I was able to handle things today, but I need you here tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

"Anna we discussed this."

"I'm sorry?"

"I prefer Jack, remember?"

Christian looked over at Anna.

"Of course, Jack. I'll see you tomorrow," Christian lost his façade and made Anna's voice deeper.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is fine."

"Great, I'll see you tomorrow."

Jack hung up the phone. Christian held Anna's phone. Anna did not like the looked in her eyes. Christian was jealous. What could she do, she had to have him take the call? Anna's body walked toward her slowly. Christian's body took a step back with each movement. Anna's body stopped and handed Christian's hand the phone.

"Who's Jack," asked Christian?

"He's the commissioning editor of the publishing house," said Anna.

Since he had her distracted, he was able to move within an inch of her. Shorter or not, he still could command a room. Christian pulled his body towards him. Anna gasped.

"I don't like him," said Christian.

"Well, I can't help that," said Anna.

Christian smiled for a moment.

"You know you can tell me anything. Is something wrong, Anna?"

Christian saw his head move from side to side.

"I can handle it," said Anna.

Christian looked into his eyes one last time before taking step back.

"Okay," said Christian.

Christian felt Anna's body respond to his body. Christian looked down at Anna's core and back up at his body.

"What is it," asked Anna?

"Nothing," said Christian.

Anna smelled her arousal and covered his mouth.

"I'm sorry, said Anna.

"Don't be, I like it," said Christian.

 **Thanks for reading! Finally, Anna's identity has been revealed, she is a hybrid Fae that her father left on Earth. What does it all mean? I have some ideas, but I'm still debating which storyline I'm going to use. I'm glad you all are enjoying the switch; I've wanted to do something like this in a story for a while.**

 **As usual, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Christian noticed his body go rigid.

"What is it," asked Christian?

"I've been dreading this all day, but I can't hold it back any longer," said Anna.

Was Anna about to shift? He hoped they would have switched back by then. No one should go through this if they didn't have to. What was he supposed to do, guide her like his mother did for him? It was still his body. Maybe he could show her how to control it? No, that would be impossible, for her she wouldn't know what to expect.

"What's happening, are you changing?"

"What? No, I have to go to the bathroom."

Anna watched her eyes widened and they both looked down at the offender and back up at each other. Christian almost preferred the transformation, but he knew that would have been a worse fate.

"Okay, shall we," said Christian.

Christian's body stood in front of the toilet and Anna's body stood beside him. They could do this. It was more about calming Anna down then anything else. After a few awkward attempts, she finally got the hang of it. He made a note to apologize to his cleaning staff when he was back in his body again.

Grace sat in her living room and thought about Anna. Someone was going to come for her soon. If she were to guess, it would probably be her father. It would be easy for a Fae to fake his own death. A shell of his body would still be at rest. Grace was not worried about Anna? Like Christian and all of her children, they all were raised among humans and were good people. Grace was worried about the other Fae. The body swap was enough to deal with, but Fae were not known to be benevolent. At best they were warriors, at worst they were selfish powerful beings that could ruin a creature in an instant. They especially, hated werewolves because we didn't go down without a fight. Their wounds would heal, but they would remember their battle with a werewolf.

The Fae were one of the creatures to leave this realm and it was thought that they abandoned this world long ago. Now there was proof that the Fae did visit this realm and one of the left a child behind. Her powers were obviously hidden for a reason. What did this all mean? Grace smelled Mia at the front door and turned on the TV to offer a pitiful distraction.

Mia walked in smelling like a shower as usual. Mia's sexual liaisons were the least of Grace's worries at the moment. Grace was young once and she left it at that. She only hoped her daughter would discover her mate and know what true love and commitment felt like. Mia sat down on the couch beside her mother.

"What's wrong," asked Mia?

Grace wished she could say something, but she agreed with Christian that it was better for them to keep this concern quiet for now. She smiled at her daughter.

"It's Christian, isn't it?"

Mia knew her mother worried about them all equally, but she had a certain weariness when it came to Christian. Christian had been through a lot during the first couple of years of his life and Grace knew that Christian never truly healed from it. Christian only showed his vulnerability to their mother. Mia hoped he was okay. Maybe she should take him out to lunch sometime so they could talk? He wouldn't tell her much, but she knew him well enough to read his tells. If he was in trouble, she would be able to sniff it out easily.

"Everything is fine, I'm just thinking too much," said Grace.

Mia smiled at her mother.

"Okay, I'll drop it."

Grace was grateful that Mia didn't push Grace to tell her anything. When did her girl grow up?

"Are you worried about me?"

Grace laughed.

"I haven't been worried about you for a long time, sweetie."

"Ouch."

"You know what I mean. You know who you are and what you want. What do I have to worry about?"

Mia wanted to cry. Mia thought her mother resented her for leaving for all those years ago, but she didn't resent her at all. She hugged her mother. It must have been too tight since she heard her mother groan, she let go of her.

"Sorry."

"Its fine, what was that for?"

"For being the best mom in the world..."

"Oh, well do I win something?"

"Ah, grandkids?"

Grace eyes widened.

"Not now! I meant in the future."

Grace calmed down and chuckled. She didn't smell anything or hear a second heartbeat so she knew Mia was telling the truth.

"Just making sure."

Christian wore one of his old shirts; his pants didn't fit so he planned to sleep in just the shirt. Anna wouldn't let him sleep naked because she thought it would be too weird to see her body naked all night. Anna wore a shirt and sweatpants, but she didn't wear any underwear. She didn't tell Christian that fact though. The both stood at either side of the bed and looked at each other. This was going to be weird. Both slid in the bed and turned away from each other.

"Christian," asked Anna?

"Yes, Anna," said Christian.

"I don't think I can sleep like this."

"Then turn around."

They turned to face each other. For a moment, they each other for who they actually were. It would be so tempting to make love, but could they? Christian watched his eyes lower and Christian had his answer.

"Good night, Anna," said Christian.

"Good night."

They closed their eyes and drifted to sleep easily. Living in another person's body was surprisingly tiring. Throughout the night, they moved closer to each other and eventually, Christian's arm wrapped around Anna's waist. Their bodies relaxed even more in each other's arms.

Anna woke up first and noticed that something long and thick was in Christian's face. She opened her eyes and realized that her hair was less than an inch away from her. She moved Christian's head back and looked down at how his arm was wrapped around her waist. She lightly scooted back, turned to face the clock on the bedroom dresser. Her body had five more minutes to sleep before she had to convince Christian that he needed to go to work today. Christian's time was now up. Anna stood up and nudged Anna's body. She accidently nudged her body too hard as Anna's body was rolled onto her face. Christian sat up quickly; Anna's hair was now all over her face. Christian pushed the hair back.

"Are you okay," asked Christian?

"Are you okay," asked Anna. "I didn't mean to push you that hard."

"I'm fine. What time is it?"

"It's time to go to work."

Christian fell back on the bed and groaned. He had agreed to do this. He wouldn't hear the end of it otherwise. Anna planned stay home and research while Christian spent eight to ten hours taking order from Jack, a man he already disliked. He would run his businesses remotely during breaks, lunch and after Anna's shift.

"We'll get dressed and go back to my place. If we meet Kate when she's too busy to think, it'll buy us some more time."

"Or we can order..."

"We don't have time."

Christian knew from Anna's tone that their discussion had ended. Anna watched her face pout as her body stood up and walked to the bathroom.

"I love you, honey," said Anna.

"Love you too," said Christian.

Christian and Anna sat in the back seat as Taylor drove to Anna and Kate's apartment. Christian dressed in Anna's old clothes and Anna was dressed in a royal blue suit that Christian didn't even know he had purchased. It was a little too flashy for his tastes, but it was her choice. He planned to do the same thing when he looked through her closet. Taylor parked the car in front of the apartment. Anna turned toward Christian.

"Just make it quick. Kate barely talks in the morning. If you don't draw attention to yourself, we'll be fine."

"Okay."

"What about you," asked Christian?

Christian saw himself smile.

"You forgot about yesterday," asked Anna? "Trust me, she won't suspect a thing."

Christian heard how Anna's tone changed when she said 'she won't suspect a thing.' If only she could read financial reports, then he could send her to his office.

Christian walked awkwardly in Anna's heels and Anna held her body's arm to keep Christian from falling.

"Please tell me you have flats," asked Christian?

"No, but I do have lower heels, it'll be easier, promise," said Anna.

Kate was surprised to see Anna and Christian standing at the door. Anna had her keys in her hand, but didn't open the door yet. Kate scoffed at both of them.

"Well, played, Anna," said Kate.

Kate walked to the kitchen counter to pick up her purse. She did not have time to scold Anna for her irresponsible behavior. Kate gave Christian a look before walking toward the door. Christian's eyes looked off after Kate stared at her. It made Kate pause.

"Is something wrong," asked Kate?

"No," said Anna and Christian.

Kate shook her head. She didn't have time for this. Kate wasn't surprised to see that Anna and Christian were back together, but Anna needed to stay focused. She wasn't in college anymore with a lot of time on her hands. Christian may be able to afford to take care of Anna, but that wasn't the point. Anna wanted to run a publishing company someday and she wouldn't do that if she stopped working hard.

"You're both adults. Anna, you and I will have words later. Christian, it's nice to see you again."

Anna and Christian stepped out of Kate's way as she walked past them. She took her cell phone out and reviewed her to do list for the day. She knew it was only tentative, things changed fast at her job.

Anna closed the door and both of them exhaled.

"We have to hurry, come on," said Anna.

Christian followed his body to Anna's room. When he stepped in the room, he stopped by the door frame. Anna turned around; they didn't have time for this.

"What's wrong now," asked Anna?

Anna saw a sad look on her face.

"I never thought I'd see this room," said Christian.

Anna's heart sank. Christian was still hurt by what she had done. She walked up to her body and gently pulled her into the bedroom.

"I'm here now and you can't keep me away. I have powers now, remember?"

A tear fell down Anna's eye. Christian jumped and wiped the tear away.

"That wasn't me," said Christian.

"Of course not," said Anna.

Anna walked to the closet and opened it. She picked out a purple fitted dress and bent down to pick up black low heeled shoes. When Anna turned to face Christian, she saw her arm's folded.

"What?"

"I can pick out my own clothes, Anna."

"Do you want me to put the shoes back?"

Anna saw how her eyes looked down at the shoes.

"I'm not talking about the shoes."

"What's wrong with this?"

"I want to wear pants."

Anna sighed.

"I don't have dress pants, would a skirt work?"

"Yes, thank you and a large top."

Christian saw his face grimace, but he didn't care. If Anna wanted to wear a loud suit, then he could dress comfortable at work. Maybe she will release how nice she looks in it.

"I don't have time to argue, but for now, you can wear this."

Anna pushed her new clothes to the side and found an old outfit she wore in college; a large white blouse and a black and white square print skirt.

"Thank you," said Christian.

Anna held her hand one last time before Christian stepped out of the car.

"You can do this," said Anna. "If you need anything; just text me, okay?"

"I'll be fine," said Christian.

Anna gave him a look.

"But I will contact you if necessary."

"Okay."

They kissed each other and Taylor opened Christian's door. Anna watched as Christian stepped out of the car and walked through the office door. This was going to be a day to remember.

 **Thanks for reading! Jack is going to get the surprise of his life if he tries anything with Anna today. Anna may find out some things about her people she doesn't like, but she will be strong enough to handle it. Her main issue will be learning how to control her powers as they develop in the story.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Christian walked into the office slowly and failed to look like he didn't belong there. He hadn't felt this awkward for over a decade. He subconsciously pulled up the purse he was given that held his cell phone, wallet and make up kept slipping off his shoulder. He pulled it back up every time. He looked over and saw Hannah settling in at her desk so he walked to the other desk.

"Welcome back, are you okay?"

Christian did his best smile.

"Yes, I'm well, I mean, I'm fine."

"Good, I reviewed your emails so all you have to do is look over a few manuscripts."

"Thank you."

Christian walked to the desk and sat down. He looked around the desk and was thankful that Anna kept her area cleaned. He noticed two rubber banded papers on top the keyboard and assumed that was the manuscripts he was supposed to read today along with the other said duties. He moved the manuscripts without giving them a second glance and sat down. He pulled out the bottom desk drawer, put Anna's purse inside of it and closed the door. When he clicked the mouse, he noticed her screen was locked and paused.

"Is everything, alright," asked Hannah?

Christian looked over at her and smiled. Anna told him to be friendly with Hannah or else. Apparently, they were going to be good friends one day.

"Everything's fine. I still have a head cold."

Damn. They thought of everything, but this. What was her password? Why was there a password, this was a publishing house, not a multimillion dollar business. His pride wouldn't let him text Anna this soon. He had to try to figure out the password on his own, for now. He knew he had three attempts to get it right, if he didn't get it right after the second attempt, he would text her. He typed in his name first; nothing. He quietly exhaled and began to type. What else would she use? He typed ThomasHardy and it worked. Of course she would use her favorite author. It was obscure enough that no one would guess it and it was a name she would remember easily. He smiled, his Anna was so clever.

He looked around the desktop and clicked on the email icon. When he opened it he saw a sea of emails. They were easy enough; most were not pertaining to Anna, the rest he would mark to look back at later. So far, so good.

"Good morning, everyone," said Jack.

Christian looked up and saw a tall, blond man walking towards them. Christian held back his snarl and focused on looking at the computer monitor, before standing up to greet Jack properly. Christian was actually busy. Hannah glanced at Anna. What was Anna doing? Jack noticed Anna's frigid demeanor as well and was taken aback by it.

"Good morning Jack, do you need coffee," asked Christian?

"No, Anna, I'm fine. Are you feeling better?"

Christian gave a hard smile. Jack almost wanted to take a step back from Anna.

"Yes, thank you for asking. Please let me know if you need anything."

Christian sat down and went back to work. Jack and Hannah glanced at each other. Anna was not herself and both of them decided to leave Anna alone for now. Jack cleared his throat and walked to his office. He left the door open and went to work. Something was obviously up with Anna; it was almost as if she was a different person. She wasn't as appealing to him as before, but he still couldn't shake her completely.

Anna sat in the car and thought about how she was going to figure out what was happening to her. She had a feeling that Grace hadn't told them everything yesterday and she wanted to know more. Should she speak with Christian's mother without him? Anna took out her cell phone and called Grace.

"Hello, Anna," said Grace.

"Hi, Grace," said Anna.

Grace flinched slightly when she heard her son's voice in her ear. This was all so crazy.

"Is everything alright," asked Grace.

"Everything is okay; I just wanted to know if I could talk to you today, alone."

Anna closed Christian's eyes. She knew how she sounded. She was putting Grace in an awkward position. They both knew Anna wanted to ask Grace about her powers win private. Would Grace be offended by the question? Anna opened Christian's eyes and waited for Grace's answer.

"I think that's a good idea, where would you like to meet?"

"Um, do you know someplace where we can talk?"

Grace smiled.

"Of course…"

Anna looked toward Taylor.

"I'm not going to hide anything from Christian; I just need to know everything I can about what's happening to me."

Taylor kept his eyes on the road.

"I understand, as long as you tell him."

Anna smiled. Taylor was a good friend. He knew she needed to talk to Grace first, but he wasn't going to let Anna keep this secret for long.

Taylor parked the car in front of Grace and Carrick's town house. It was far away from the city, like the cabin. The house was slightly smaller than their main house with more of a country- sheek feel to it. Anna glanced at the small portrait of a roster that was placed in the middle of the living room. The painting made sense for the room, but it was still one of the most random things she had seen. Anna imagined that Grace and Carrick vacationed here with the kids when they wanted a comfortable getaway.

Anna sat on a large firm white couch as Grace handed Anna a cup of tea. She wondered how she was able to keep the couch clean with three kids running around. Grace sat beside Anna and took a sip of her own tea. They didn't have a lot of time to speak to each other and neither of them wanted to discuss too much without Christian being there. This affected him as well.

"I'm sorry I wasn't completely honest with you yesterday," said Grace. "You both looked so…"

"Messed up," Anna offered.

"No, frightened. I didn't want to add to it."

Anna looked down. Grace was right, Anna and Christian tried to hide their feelings, but clearly, they were not successful. After living a day in someone else's skin, the second day was a bit easier.

"What more do you know," asked Anna?

"I can't say if this is true or not. All I have are stories that have been passed down to me. A Fae could be more pleasant that we were lead to believe."

Anna readied herself for what Grace was going to say. Grace's posture became a bit more rigid as she told Anna what she was told as a child.

There was a time when supernaturals outnumbered mortals. Humans were more like curious animals, then anything else at the time. Anna could believe that, humans evolved to what they were today. There were a lot of different creatures in the world. Some could change form and others had powers. The ones with powers were known to be cruel to the werewolves, etc. because they were seen as weak. The Fae were the most powerful of their kind. Anna's people were cruel? She hated hearing this.

Grace continued with her story. One day a Fae was bored and decided he wanted to harm an alpha werewolf; this wolf was the first one to stand up to a Fae. The Fae was severely wounded, but the wolf lost his life. From that point on, werewolves started to fight back and the Fae were in awe by them. Even though they killed us, we still kept coming. The Fae didn't like the wolves' pride and eventually decided wolves were not worth their time. Other creatures started to fight the Fae and soon they decided to leave the realm entirely.

"They ran away," asked Anna?

Grace looked at Anna.

"That's what I was told. I didn't believe it at first and never gave it a second thought. Then I saw what happened to you and Christian. The Fae are very powerful and they made a choice a long time ago to leave this place."

Anna looked down at her cup.

"So, are you saying that I'm your enemy?"

Grace touched her son's back.

"Of course not, that was the past."

Anna looked up at Grace.

"I know you're afraid of me now."

Grace removed her hand and looked down. How shameful? Grace was afraid of Anna and she couldn't escape it.

"I am, Anna and I'm sorry, but Christian isn't. He loves you. You know I would do anything for you and my son, right?"

Grace watched Christian's eyes water. She rarely seen her son cry, but this wasn't her son. Anna wiped the tears that fell from Christian's eyes. She hated that she was so emotional lately. Christian would be furious to see himself like this.

"I know. I just hope you know that I would never do anything to you."

"I know that Anna."

"Do you?"

Christian's eyes turned white for a moment. Grace stood up and backed away. Anna stood as well and reached out pleadingly toward Grace.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what happened."

Grace looked at Anna. If she became stressed, her powers may lash out. Grace took a breath, walked up to Anna and hugged her. Anna hugged Grace back.

"I'm not going to leave you. It's just instincts, I'm not completely afraid of you, Anna."

"Thank you."

Grace let go of Anna.

"You do have to be more careful now. You have to control your emotions until you know how to control your powers."

"So, I'll never be able to laugh or cry again?"

"That's not true."

They laughed. So laughing was okay.

Christian survived the morning and was doing well for himself. There were only three emails in his inbox and he had already finished one of the manuscripts. Jack asked Christian to update his calendar and Christian discovered an out of town engagement that he didn't like. Was Anna supposed to go on this trip with Jack? Christian almost wanted to remain in this body for the next few weeks to insure that he would be the one to go with Jack on this trip. So far Christian had nothing against Jack, but he still didn't trust him. Jack was way too informal at the office. He planned to keep his eye on the man for as long as he could.

"Anna," asked Jack.

"Yes, Jack," said Christian.

Jack walked out of the office and stood beside Anna's desk. Christian pushed the chair back so he could look up at Jack.

"I noticed we haven't had a chance to talk about my upcoming business trip."

Christian readied himself for what Jack was about to say. Christian had to remember that he was in Anna's body at the moment and he had to act accordingly.

"Is there anything you need me to do right now?"

Jack smiled. _Why was he smiling_ , Christian thought?

"I may need some help on the trip and I was wondering if you could accompany me?"

Christian pushed Anna's heels into the ground to keep from punching this man in the face. There was no reason in Christian's mind for Anna to go on this trip.

"I think I can do more here, Jack."

Jack's smile faded. He was not pleased with Christian's answer. Christian also knew Anna was going to be mad at him for making this decision without her as well, but he didn't care at the moment. Christian felt the request was inappropriate pure and simple.

"Are you sure you're okay? You can talk to me about anything."

Jack touched Anna's shoulder and Christian became rigid. Christian looked down at Jack's hand and back up at Jack. Jack was terrified for a moment until he remembered Anna was just a woman. If Christian didn't love Anna dearly, he would have tried to break this cowards arm.

 **Thanks for reading! Has Jack just made the biggest mistake of his life and career? Short answer - yes, but Christian still has to tread lightly. If Christian attacks Jack outright, Jack wins.**

 **Anna is starting to struggle with new powers. That Fae temper will get the best of her if she lets it. She's not as sweet as she used to be, but she's not a terrible person either. She has to stay ahead of her powers if she's going to survive and Anna plans to do just that.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Jack removed his hand, but Christian could see that Jack was agitated. There was something off about this man. Jack was almost feral. Christian's eyes widened. If he had his own body, he would have been able to confirm his suspicions. Right now, all he had was his instincts.

"I'm sorry if you feel that I overstepped my bounds. I'll leave you to it."

Jack walked back into his office and shut the door. Christian turned back toward his desk and could barely move. Anna's body was on high alert. Her body didn't like being touched by Jack; she was unnerved by this man. Christian stood and started to move toward Jack's door.

"You're turn," said Hannah.

Christian turned to face Hannah. He saw Hannah look at Jack's closed door and back at Anna. Hannah walked up to Anna.

"Is everything okay," Hannah whispered?

Christian masked his anger and gave a light smile.

"Everything is fine; I was just getting ready to leave. I knew you'd be getting back soon."

Hannah nodded her head, but her eyes showed that she did not completely believe Anna.

"Okay, well enjoy lunch. Do you need help with anything?"

Christian bent down and awkwardly placed Anna's purse on her shoulder.

"No, I have everything taken care off. I'll see you soon."

Christian walked out of the office with determined steps. Anna told him there was a nearby diner. He would have his lunch there. He didn't have time to have the conversation he wanted to have with his woman right now; that was the only reason he didn't dial Anna's number. He also had work to do.

Anna had Taylor drive her home. She would do what she said she was going to do earlier. She planned to tell Christian that she met with Grace as soon as Taylor picked him up from work. She thought about the time. Christian hadn't called her all morning. That meant one of two things. Either Christian was doing well or he was avoiding her because he did something terrible. She was itching to call him, but she knew he planned to catch up on his own work during lunch so she left him alone.

Taylor thought about Anna's secret meeting and wondered what Grace told her. It wasn't his place to know, but he was curious. He had never met a Fae before; he couldn't even say what a Fae looked like. Was Anna going to change? She might become taller? Fae men and women were known to be tall and strong. Maybe she would stay the same since she was a hybrid like Christian. Taylor planned to stay out of it. Fae's were known to be unpredictable and use their powers for their own selfish desires or amusement. He couldn't imagine Anna doing any of those things. Anna sensed Taylor's apprehension.

"Not you too," said Anna.

Taylor glanced back at her.

"Sorry about that. I was thinking about something."

Taylor saw Anna's warm smile through Christian's face.

"Was it about me?"

"Yes."

Anna laughed.

"I can't imagine what everyone is thinking. I happened to be the one thing that everyone I care about hates and it sucks."

Taylor wanted to punch himself in the face. Anna just reminded him how sweet she was. She was still worried about everyone else, in spite of everything that was happening to her. Legends were legends and Anna was not like the Fae he knew of. She was her own person still. All he needed to worry about was making sure she wasn't harmed or corrupted by anyone else.

"I don't hate you, Anna. No one can."

Anna smiled again and looked as if she was about to cry, but she quickly calmed down and exhaled. She had to stay ahead of her emotions.

"Thank you, I can tell you mean it."

"You're welcome."

Anna walked into the living room and realized that she had never been to Christian's office before. Maybe she should have had Taylor come up with her? When she passed the Red Room she stopped and placed Christian's hand on the door. She felt his cock stir again. She looked down at it and bit his lip. They had made love several times in this room. She fell in love with a man that she may end up spending the rest of her life. She placed his hand on the door knob and turned it. The door wasn't unlocked; his werewolf strength broke the knob.

"Crap," she said.

She pushed opened the door, turned on the light and stepped inside. Everything was in its right place. She walked up to the binds and chains he had in the center of the room and touched one of the top binds. His penis became half stiff; she gasped and stepped away from it. His body was trained to enjoy everything in this room. She had a strange thought. No, they couldn't. He wouldn't want to make love like this. Part of her feared he would. She thought about his member. Would she be a good lover like this? She felt his body stir, it wanted to play in this room. She turned and walked away before she gave into the body's desires. It wasn't her body to play with and she would respect it.

She shut the door as best she could and walked further down the hall. She didn't remember seeing an office upstairs so she assumed it was down here. Just when there was nowhere else to go, she saw another door. She was able to open it easily enough and saw that she was in the right place. His office could double as a small library. She smiled and walked toward the large bookshelf and allowed his hands to brush across some of the books. She was surprised to find that not all of the books were about business and finance. He had a section of psychology books as well. What did he think about himself? Anna felt Christian's body become stressed. She stepped back and turned away from the bookshelf.

Christian had a large dark wood desk and a matching office chair in his office. His monitor was larger than most. She sat down in the chair and pressed the enter key. Of course it was password protected. She had no idea what his password could be. She also saw there was a guest login and used it instead. Before she typed anything in the browser, she took a moment to brace herself. Most of the things, she read would not be fact, but maybe it would give her an idea of what she was. It was all she had for now. She typed in F-A-E and instantly a full page of links came up. The top three links were from famous authors of the genre. She was glad her kind was not completely forgotten, she mused. She saw the dreaded Wikipedia link and couldn't help herself. She might fight some truth in the mist of it.

"Why not," she said to herself.

She clocked on the link and was greeted by a picture of a large muscular man with long hair and a tall woman who barely had her chest covered. Both of them looked fearless. She read the information below.

 _Fae, also known as Fairies, are mythical creatures from European lore. They are known to be strong and powerful beings that take delight in battling other Fae or using their powers for their own gain. The term Fae and fairies are commonly used interchangeably, but the Fae are technically a more powerful and deadly species (if they were real)._

Anna sat back in her chair, _if they were real_. Unfortunately, they were real and everything was telling her that she may end up turning into a super ass hole. She held her chest. It wasn't her heart that was beating right now, but it was all she had. She wasn't a bad person. She couldn't imagine becoming a thing that hurt others. She opened her eyes. She was strong and she would get through this. Everyone had a choice. Christian survived his transformation and she would survive hers. Whatever that meant? She continued reading the information and clicked on another link. She would research as much as she can and see if anything rang true to her.

The rest of the day went smoothly. Jack kept his distance and that kept Christian from going to jail in Anna's body. When everything was said and done Jack left first and quickly said good bye to them. Hannah watched Jack leave, he rarely left before them.

Christian walked outside and saw that his car was already waiting for him. Taylor quickly walked to the passenger door and opened it. Christian walked toward the car door and thanked Taylor.

Christian turned to face Anna. He still hated the suit Anna had on his body.

"How was it? Is everything okay?"

Christian looked at her, but didn't respond for a moment. Anna sunk back a little in the seat. Had Jack done something? Was he dead in his office right now and no one known about it yet? Christian wouldn't kill a man, right?

"Has Jack ever sexually harassed you, Anna?"

Taylor started the car and started to drive. He planned to drive to Christian's apartment unless he was told to go somewhere else.

"No," she said weakly.

Christian turned Anna's whole body toward her and watched his eyes. He didn't like what happened today. Maybe this was the first time he stepped out of line. If that was the case, he was glad Anna didn't have to go through it and that Jack knew better than to try something like that again.

"I asked you yesterday about this and you said nothing was wrong."

"I didn't lie to you Christian, nothing officially has happened yet."

"Yet?"

Anna saw her head shake.

"Did something happen?"

Christian glared at her as if to say 'what do you think?'

"He was inappropriate, but I handled it."

Christian saw his eyes widen. How did Christian handle it?

"I'm sorry that happened. What did he do?"

"He touched my shoulder."

Anna sat up. Jack shouldn't have touched her. Christian's body didn't like it either. She almost wanted to go up there and take care of Jack. Testosterone did have a mind of its own. Anna wanted to know how Christian handled it. Christian confirmed that Jack was still alive and well. Anna was glad to hear it. There was no reason for her to go to jail for an ass. Christian said Jack asked if Anna could travel with him on an upcoming trip and Christian declined. Anna would have declined as well, but Christian should not have a made the decision or her.

"You did what," asked Anna?

Christian knew she would be upset.

"I declined."

"You should have talked to me first, Christian. It's my body."

"I saved you."

"That's not the point, I can save myself. I can't believe you did that."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

Anna lowered Christian's head and placed his hand on the bridge of his nose. She had that feeling again. She could cause a car accident if she wasn't careful. She looked up at her face and remained calm.

"I know this was a shock to you, but I can handle it. I make my own decisions. Next time talk to me first, okay."

Christian didn't care about winning the argument anymore after seeing Anna distressed. She was right; he could have waited and talked to her first. He would have expected the same from her.

"You're right, but it doesn't change the fact that Jack may be dangerous."

Anna laughed.

"Does that really matter anymore?"

Christian saw the look in his eyes. Anna's tone was light, but her face was deadly. She was already changing.

 **Thanks for reading! I am slowly showing what Anna is capable of. Her demeanor is changing, but I know she'll get through it. If Christian is ever in trouble, she would do everything she could to save him and now she can. Jack has been put in his place, but he won't stay there for long. I think he'd prefer to deal with Christian instead of Anna at this point.**

 **The body swap won't last the entire book, but I like how the switch is affecting them. They both have a chance to intimately see how their other half lives.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Anna thought about her own transgressions as they drove toward Christian's apartment. She spoke with Grace without Christian. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but she didn't know if he would take it badly or not. Her man was unpredictable. Anna looked at her body and saw that Christian was reviewing his emails and reports on his cell phone. She wondered if he had time to get anything done.

"You're staring at me, Anna. What is it?"

"You could cross your legs."

Christian turned to face Anna and mockingly glared at her.

"I keep them closed, that's enough."

Anna looked away, Christian was busy. She would tell him when they arrived at the apartment. Anna felt Taylor's gaze on her from time to time. Anna wasn't planning on keeping her meeting a secret for long, but she knew Taylor had his own timeframe in mind. She wouldn't have a lot of time to procrastinate. Without thinking Anna moved Christian's hand to her free hand and placed it on top of her hand. Christian looked up at Anna. Christian knew she just wanted to hold hands so he kept working on the ocean of emails in front of him. He hoped Anna would figure out a way to switch them back soon. Contrary to popular belief, a CEO had to work just as hard as everyone else. At least, he made sure he did. He didn't like being a remote boss. Maybe Anna could make an appearance for a few hours as long as he made sure his assistant didn't have anything scheduled? No, something always came up and he wouldn't be able to talk on his phone at Anna's job. He didn't want to pressure her, but he was curious to see what she found out about her powers today. He'd ask her when he reached his apartment.

Christian's cell phone vibrated and he dreaded the name that appeared on his screen. Anna sensed his agitation and glanced down at the phone.

"Your father?"

Christian closed Anna's eyes. The phone stopped ringing and started ringing immediately again. Christian squeezed his cell phone. He didn't have to worry about breaking it. Christian opened Anna's eyes.

"He' just going to keep calling," said Anna.

"I know," said Christian.

Christian accepted the call, moved the phone to Anna's mouth to speak, but stopped himself. He was in Anna's body. Corin would know something was up if she answered the phone. He heard his father call his name. Christian looked over at his body. His face was terrified. Christian handed Anna the phone. Anna took a second to change her demeanor before speaking. It was one thing to tease Christian with her imitations, but it was another thing to use it to trick a werewolf alpha king.

"Yes, Corin," said Anna.

"What were you doing," asked Corin? "Why did it take you so long to speak?"

"I meant no disrespect, but I'm a busy man. Is there something I can help you with?"

Anna looked over at Christian. Christian nodded his head in approval.

"I wanted to confirm our dinner plans for tomorrow night."

Anna looked over at Christian again.

"Dinner plans? Yes, of course. I'll be there."

"Good, I knew you were a man of your word."

"If that was the case, why did you call me? I'll see you tomorrow."

Anna hung up the cell phone and gawked at it. Did she just do that?

"That was a little harsh," said Christian.

"Oh, sorry," said Anna.

Anna handed the cell phone back to Christian and asked him about Corin's invitation. Honestly, that was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. He agreed to meet his father for dinner and he knew he could not get out of it. She didn't have any idea what she was supposed to do. She couldn't see herself pretending to be Christian in front of one of the most powerful werewolves she knew for an entire evening. He might be able to tell that she wasn't his son. What would he do then? Christian placed a hand on his back and told her to take a few deep breaths. He told her that everything was going to be fine.

"How, Christian?"

"Because I'm coming with you. He'll be surprised, but it wouldn't be completely unrealistic for me to have you at my side."

Christian felt his back relax, Anna liked his plan. She would feel safer with him there. There was so many things that she didn't know about him yet. She looked into her eyes and saw Christian's calm gaze staring back at her. When he saw that she was calm again, he returned to his work. He had to stay on top of it or he would become vulnerable to the board members and any other corporate mongrel that wanted his position.

Taylor's mind was racing. Would Christian and Anna be alright tomorrow night? Depending on Corin's mood, Taylor may not even be allowed to step out of the car. Anna may lose control in front of Corin and reveal her powers. Most wolves only knew of Fae as legends, but it was rumored that some as old as Corin may have encountered one. Corin saw himself as Christian's protector and may see Anna as a threat.

Christian walked in first and as usual, he was still working on his emails. Christian had to delegate more than he liked to, but it was his only option right now. He still had a manuscript to read and evaluate. Maybe he can have Anna read it, that made sense, right? She probably wouldn't mind at all. When he sent his last response, he looked up and saw that his face looked on edge.

"What's wrong," he asked.

He saw his body become rigid. What was going on? Was she still nervous about tomorrow? All they had to do was make it through dinner.

"Is this about tomorrow, night?"

"No, it's about today."

Christian saw his body walk to the couch and sit down. He sat down beside Anna and waited for her to speak. Did she find out something about her powers today that she was afraid to tell him about? Christian saw his body turn to him.

"Don't get angry. I just needed to do this on my own."

Anna saw her body sit up on the couch. He was bracing himself for the worse.

"I can't promise that, but I know whatever it is, I'll get over it, eventually."

Anna wanted to reach for her hand to comfort Christian, but she knew it would only come off as manipulative. She had to tell him what happened first.

"I called Grace today and she and I spoke more about what she knew about the Fae."

Anna saw a curious look on her face. She didn't know what to think. Anna's body moved away from her slightly.

"You both felt that you needed to talk about your powers without me, why?"

"It's not that, Christian. I just needed to talk to her on my own. Grace was holding back before and I think it was because you were there."

Christian stood up and looked down at his body. His mother was afraid to talk to him about Anna? Why? Christian didn't care what Grace would have said to them. He was the only one that wasn't afraid of Anna. Why would his mother prefer to talk to Anna alone? Why was he being so sensitive about it? He looked down at Anna and saw his eyes pleading with him. She told him as soon as she could and that counted for something. They also had other things to think about.

"I can't say I understand why you both felt you needed to do that, but what's done is done. What did my mother tell you?"

Anna saw her eyes turn cold when Christian said mother. Was he more upset with her? They both agreed to do this.

"Christian, your mom…"

"I don't want to discuss it, right now. I'll talk to her later. What do you know?"

Anna sighed. She heard Christian's end of discussion tone loud and clear. He couldn't stay mad at his mother long, but she dreaded to think that Grace may have a worse confrontation with Christian. Grace was trying to protect her son and Anna understood that. Anna asked if Christian could sit down first. Christian complied and sat down beside her again. She told Christian about the legend Grace told to her. Christian wasn't impressed by it. He said the wolf and Fae confrontation sounded true, but he doubted the Fae would leave because of their species alone. The Fae were too powerful and seemingly spiteful. She took that last comment to heart. Even Christian didn't like the Fae. He looked over at her and said he was just talking about the legend. He did not see her capable of doing such things. She believed him, but also couldn't ignore her kind's legacy. She discussed what she researched online. Both agreed that there wasn't much there; a few words were repeated; beautiful, tall, powerful, spiteful and dangerous.

"I agree, you are beautiful," said Christian.

"I wonder if I'll become taller," said Anna.

Christian kissed his hand. He didn't even think twice about.

"I doubt it. You're most likely a hybrid, like me. Do you think your mother is…"

"No. Are you saying my dad is a Fae? My dad may be alive?"

Christian should not have said anything about this. If what she said was true, then her father abandoned her, like his father did to him. He might even have the same excuse. _I was trying to protect you._ Anna loved her stepfather and only saw him as her real father. That shouldn't change.

"I can't say, Anna."

"No, he's alive. Fae are immortal and very hard to kill. From what I read only another Fae can kill them."

Christian was confused by the excitement in Anna's tone. She wanted to see her father again. She had no resentment toward him at all. How was she so forgiving? He may be the cruelest of his kind. She shouldn't be so open to accepting him into her life. She looked at Christian and smiled. She was so happy.

"It has to be him. This is crazy!"

Christian saw a wide smile on his face. It looked so unnatural to him. The smile faded when Anna saw how reserved Christian acted. Christian didn't take kindly to being abandoned and he didn't understand how Anna could be so forgiving towards her father.

"I'm too excited, huh?"

"I just want you to be careful. You don't know him."

"I know, I will be, but I am happy."

Christian was silent. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to take her happiness away from her. He said his peace on the matter and that was all he needed to do. He would make sure to keep an eye on this Fae if he ever showed up. How would Anna feel if her father decided to leave her alone and allow her to struggle with her abilities alone? Christian held back his disgust. It would only upset her. He couldn't say that Anna's real father was dangerous or not.

"I'm glad you're happy. That's all that matters to me."

Christian moved to touch the side of his face and put his hand back down. There were moments when he only saw Anna's sweet face. He saw Anna bite his lip in that sweet and sexy way. They needed to switch back fast. Christian looked down and saw his cock hard and pressing against his pants. He looked back up at Anna.

"You're going to have to take care of that," said Christian.

"Yeah, I think I'll need help with this one," said Anna.

Christian smiled.

 **Thanks for reading! Christian was not pleased, but surprisingly he is more upset with his mother than Anna. It's possibly more of an 'I expected more from you' thing, but either way Christian plans to talk to Grace about it. Anna and Christian may do some things, but I don't it will go too far.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive** **criticism.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Christian unzipped the pants Anna wore and wrapped Anna's hand around his cock. Anna gasped and dug Christian's hands into the couch. Christian stroked it slowly. She closed her eyes and lay back on the couch. His penis was so sensitive to Christian's touch. A whole new sensation took over his body as her consciousness fell back into another place in her mind. All she wanted to feel was this sensation. She felt his cock grow even firmer. How big was it going to get? Then her mind fell in the background again. She opened her eyes and reached for her arm. She needed to hold onto something. Christian felt his grip on Anna's arm. It was a bit uncomfortable, but his pride wouldn't let him react to it. Anna felt her hand stroke Christian's cock harder and all she could do was focus on the pleasure of it. Anna felt her hands squeeze the tip of Christian's member and she felt the pressure in his cock build like a pot with a lid that was going to pop off. Christian focused on the tip of his penis again and she exploded. She nearly jumped off the couch and yelled. Christian released Anna's hand from his rod and watched Anna come down from her climax. All he saw was her face.

"That was so good," said Anna.

Christian kissed Anna until his body was on his back. He wouldn't go any further then what was done, but he loved seeing her come.

Anna woke to light shove on her shoulder. She smiled, was her shove that weak? She yawned and turned to face her body. She woke instantly and sat up when she saw that Christian was dressed for work in a green blouse and black shirt. The blouse was actually fit her frame. Anna looked down at her feet and saw that Christian wore black flats.

"You shouldn't sleep in," said Christian. "I want you to take me to work."

"Where did you find that outfit," asked Anna?

"I had a few outfits ordered. I'd like you to think about wearing them when we switch back."

Christian saw his face. She wasn't too turned off by the idea. His body stood up and walked up to him. Christian had no idea what Anna was going to do. Anna pulled down the blouse and slightly spread the v neck apart.

"Now, that's better."

Anna saw her eyes squint as Christian closed the v neck. The outfit was nice; she may wear it to work one day. Anna would never wear anything too risqué at work, she just played with the blouse to tease him.

"About tonight, just remain aloof and answer his questions. If they are too personal or probing, deflect."

"I think I can do that."

"I know you can."

Christian stood on Anna's tip toes and gave his face a kiss.

"Now hurry up, I don't like being late."

Sierra knew it was foolish to pretend to be asleep, but she didn't want to open her eyes. Corin gave her the coldest glare before he left their bedroom and she did not want to see it this morning.

"Open your eyes, Sierra," ordered Corin.

Sierra opened her eyes, but remained in her bed. She felt the bed lower as Corin sat beside her feet. What was he doing? She felt him lean over her body and inhale her scent. Her body hadn't forgotten his touch and was instantly aroused. Still, she didn't move. Instincts were one thing and actions were another thing entirely. She felt his body near her side, his hand slowly moved from her inner thigh to her core and away again.

"I see you're that loins have finally taken over," said Sierra.

"It's not just that, my love."

Corin pinched her inner thigh and she instantly became wet. She gasped and sat up. He smiled at her. They both were a wreck. If he waited any longer, he might attack his own pack just to relieve some of the tension. Sierra covered her chest. She saw the sympathy in his eyes. He knew he was the cause of this. He leaned toward her face, she didn't back away.

"I want you again, Sierra. Will you have me?"

Sierra still couldn't trust him. Why did he want her so badly? It had been a while, but she still couldn't give herself to him. What if this was just a quick fuck and nothing else? She was no one's whore. She'd rather he kill her than treat her like one.

"Why," she asked?

"I want to hold you again," he said.

Sierra's guard cracked open. He wasn't lying. He wanted to her again and she never stopped loving him. She quickly moved toward him and kissed him. He pulled her clothes and squeezed ass. He quickly turned her on her stomach and raised her gown. He would make love to her soon enough, but right now, he needed to be inside her.

The guards down the hall heard their king and queen moaning in ecstasy. They eyed each other, it sounded like their king and queen had made amends. No one really knew what caused their fighting in the first place.

Sierra spooned against Corin as Corin held her close; he nipped her shoulder. The sheets would have to be thrown away. She wanted to live in this moment forever.

"My son is coming here tonight."

"I know."

"It would mean a lot to me if you could be there. Can I trust you with him?"

Sierra took a moment to speak. Corin respected it. He preferred she choose her words carefully and tell the truth. She loved Corin and if that meant she had to accept Christian, then she would do it. She almost lost her mate over her selfish decision and she knew she wouldn't have a second chance if she tried to hurt Christian again.

"Of course; I no longer have a desire to harm him. I love you Corin and if you give me a chance, I'll do what I can for your son.

Corin kissed her neck and held her. He was so relieved to know that Sierra wasn't going to continue this foolish act of jealously against his son.

"Thank you, what you said means so much to me."

Sierra smiled.

"I'd do anything for you."

"As would I."

Christian worked through his emails as he sat down in the nearby diner. He was surprised to receive a text message from Anna. She asked if him if he ordered anything for tonight. He responded no. He assumed he could wear what he had on for dinner tonight. She responded with: _What_ and a wow emoji. He didn't have time for this. He said if it really mattered to her, she could use one of his credit cards to buy a dress. He quickly sent a second text that read: _One dress._ Anna simply responded with a smiley face; Christian did not like her response one bit. His cell phone alarm sounded which meant he had to go back to work. Anna should already know his taste by now, if the dress was inappropriate, he simply would not wear it.

Christian's work day passed slowly as the day before. He stood and placed Anna's purse on his shoulder. It stopped slipping which made him a bit nervous. He did not want to get too comfortable in this body. When he looked straight ahead, he was shocked to see his body walking toward him. Why was Anna here?

"Hi, honey," said Anna in an over pronounced male voice.

Anna gave a Christian a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Hi," said Christian.

"So this is where you work?"

Anna looked around the place and glanced at the desk to make sure Christian hadn't missed anything.

"Looks good," said Anna.

"Yes, I try."

Anna glanced at Jack's closed door. Jack was definitely in there. Did Jack avoid Christian all day? Christian must have intimidated Jack quite a bit yesterday. They heard Hannah clear her throat.

"Hannah…"said Anna.

Hannah's eyes widened.

"Hannah, Anna has told me so much about you," said Anna as she stretched out Christian's hand to shake Hannah's hand.

Hannah walked up to Christian's body and shook Christian's hand. Christian resisted the urge to shake his head. Anna almost sabotaged herself by coming in here to spy on him. It would serve her right.

"Really, that's sweet," said Hannah as she looked over at Anna's body.

Christian politely smiled.

"Anna," said Jack.

Christian almost snarled. He turned around to face Jack. Jack looked over at Christian and back at Anna. Jack was not happy to see Christian.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Jack."

Jack put his hand out. Anna slightly hesitated before shaking Jack's hand. Jack squeezed Christian's hand hard. Anna groaned, Christian looked at his body and down at Jack's hand. Christian started to intervene.

"Hello, Jack," said Anna. "I've heard a lot about this place; she really likes working here."

"That's great. Anna, I'll send you an email about the project I need you to work on this weekend."

"Yes, sir."

"Anna…"

"Yes, Jack."

Anna gently held her arm and steered Christian toward the door. Christian allowed Anna to take the lead.

"What's wrong, Anna?"

"Jack really doesn't like you."

Christian smirked. He didn't give a damn about that man. As long as Jack remained respectful to Anna, Christian would have nothing to do with him.

"You don't like him either do you?"

"No."

Anna shook her head. She didn't want to upset Christian so she kept the other thing she sensed to herself. Jack's aggression was intense, almost animal like. Since the anger was directed toward Christian's body, she knew her body was safe. She didn't think Jack wanted to hurt her.

Anna helped Christian dress quickly. Christian approved of the outfit. Anna ordered a navy blue dress; he was able to wear the same shoes he wore to work. She admitted that she hated the color, but she knew he would approve of it so she ordered it. He told her she chose well. Christian asked if he could choose the suit for this evening. Anna agreed to it because Christian accepted her choice. She knew he was being too nice. Christian walked to his closet and handed her a fitted grey suit and a white shirt.

"No tie," said Christian.

"Okay," said Anna.

They each looked at themselves in his closet mirror. Neither of them looked comfortable in their own skin. Anna bent down and hugged her body. She really wanted to rest her head on Christian's shoulder. Christian hugged his body.

"It's okay," said Christian. "After this, we'll be able to focus on getting us back into our bodies."

"I hope so," said Anna.

"We will, I promise."

Christian moved his head back so he could kiss Anna.

"Now, let's go. I'm always on time."

Christian walked away; Anna stumbled a bit. How could Christian change gears so easily? Anna took a moment to straighten her suit before following after Christian.

Taylor looked back at Christian and Anna before he turned toward Corin's estate. Corin was unpredictable and very sensitive about his son. If Corin felt that something was off, he may react violently. Taylor told Christian and Anna this as they drove to the estate. Christian assured Taylor that they were alright. No one could sense a difference, so as long as Anna played the part, they should be fine. Taylor hoped that was true. He parked the car near the front door. The place appeared unguarded, but any wolf could tell that was far from the truth. Corin and Sierra walked out to greet Christian and Anna. When Christian and Anna stepped out of the car, Corin eyes widened slightly before he smiled at them. Corin shook his son's hand and eyed him. Anna forced herself to not look away. Christian would never lower his eyes to anyone. Sierra smiled and gave Anna a hug. Sierra felt Anna stiffen, so she let Anna go.

"It's nice to see you Anna," said Sierra. "I hope you can forgive me."

"All is forgiven," said Christian.

Everyone looked at Anna for a moment.

"It's good to see you both," said Corin. "I had another plate prepared just in case."

Anna gave a smug smile and did not say anything. Christian would have reacted that way.

"Please come inside," said Corin.

 **Thanks for reading! Yeah, I could only do so much with Anna and Christian's swap love scene. I was like many of you and thought it would be either weird or interesting to write a scene like that. I chose to do a light version of it instead. Corin may know that something is up with Anna and Christian; he's very powerful, but he's no Fae.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews comments and constructive criticism.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Anna did her best not to look around in awe at this place. Technically, this was her first time seeing Christian's fathers home. Other than seeing guards in every room or hallway they passed, the place looked normal. He had various paintings on the wall. She desperately wanted to look at them, but that was not an option. Christian had his own paintings and impressive art pieces in his apartment. He would not be occupied with what was going on around him. Christian would focus on making sure there weren't any threats in the area. Anna looked at her body; Christian's posture was way too rigid. He wasn't playing his part well. Corin and Sierra were walking ahead of them so they didn't notice Christian yet. Anna reached for her hand and held it. She saw her face look at her. He gave her a questioning look. Was Anna alright, was she nervous? Anna bent down and risked whispering in her ear.

"Are you okay," asked Anna?

Christian realized what Anna was doing? Christian nodded and relaxed his posture.

"Yes," said Christian.

Corin looked back for a moment as he walked toward the dining room. He did not want to make a scene. For now, Christian was just an alpha that warranted Corin's attention. Corin had not announced Christian as his heir. Corin needed his son to accept his position in the pack and be prepared for what that meant for him. Christian would instantly have hundreds of enemies that would try to harm Christian to get to Corin. Corin knew his enemies would fall in the end; he still didn't want to risk his son's life over an arrogant wolf's stupidity. Corin glanced as his wife. If his own wife reacted badly to the knowledge of his son, other wolves may try to hurt Christian as well. He would handle it as any other threat and kill most of them quickly out of pure rage. The ones that were left to be punished would suffer exponentially by his own hand. Their deaths would become a legend among wolves and no one would dare try to attack him or his family again.

"How much longer," asked Anna?

Anna felt she needed to say something; Christian would be uneasy at this point.

"Not far," said Corin. "Is there somewhere you need to be?"

"I'm here out of obligation only," said Anna.

Corin's back tensed for a moment. Anna knew she hurt him. Christian wouldn't care if he hurt Corin so Anna had to act accordingly. Corin's body relaxed, he wouldn't allow himself to be vulnerable for long. Corin and Sierra turned toward two large doors and two guards opened the door for them. Corin allowed Sierra to walk in first, Christian and Anna followed behind Sierra and Corin walked in the room last. Corin had a large vase of white roses as the center piece for the table.

"This looks amazing," said Christian.

Anna looked at Christian. Christian was right to say something. She wished she could have complemented them. Christian may not care about what his father had done for him, but clearly Corin put out his best for his son tonight. Corin and Sierra sat down on opposite ends of the table. _Was that how it was done_ , thought Anna? She realized that Christian and she were going to sit across from each other at the middle of the table. When they sat down they glanced wearily at each other. Christian wanted to sit right beside Anna. He wasn't in his body so it wouldn't be as easy to protect her if Corin tried to do anything. They just had to eat and leave. Anna would have to talk for most of the dinner, but she was doing well.

Two women and two men walked out from a nearly invisible side door. The women wore a white blouse and black skirt and the men wore a white shirt and black slacks. Each person carried a large plate layered with steak, sliced red potatoes and a small side salad. They each placed a plate in front of Corin, Sierra, Anna and Christian and backed away slowly. Anna looked down at the food and almost drooled. It smelled wonderful. The two male servers returned and placed a large basket of rolls between Anna and Christian; Sierra and Corin were given a small basket of rolls that was placed right in front of them. One of the female servers walked in and poured Corin and Sierra a glass of blood wine; then stood by the wall. Corin smelled the wine and took a sip.

"Christian, do you drink blood wine," asked Corin?

Anna couldn't speak for a moment. Did Christian drink blood? She had never seen him do that. She looked at Corin.

"No, I just like my meat medium rare," said Christian. "Do you have wine or water?"

Corin smiled.

"We're not vampires; I just like to taste blood every now and then."

"That is completely your prerogative to do so."

Corin chuckled. Sierra looked at Corin; he was behaving strangely. She was surprised that Christian had not picked up on Corin's intentions. Corin's scent changed the moment Christian was in front of him. What had changed for him? Sierra knew Corin would never hurt Christian, but Corin's aggression was rising. Sierra thought about Christian again. Why hadn't Christian sensed anything? Something was wrong.

"Please bring us the Chateau Latour for our guest," said Corin.

Anna had no idea what Corin was talking about; it sounded expensive. The woman returned quickly and poured Christian and Anna a glass of wine. Corin eyed them as they took their first sip. Sierra watched them closely as well. Anna took a sip and placed it down on the table. Christian grimaced slightly; when Christian placed the glass back on the table, the glass shook slightly. Corin eyes became deadly for just a moment. Sierra looked at Corin to try to figure out what he planned do with Christian and Anna. Corin eyed Sierra and started to cut his steak. Sierra wasn't going to receive any answers from her husband.

"Anna," said Corin.

Christian looked at Corin and did his best to look slightly intimidated by him.

"Yes, sir," said Christian.

Corin smiled.

"Corin is fine, Anna."

Christian nodded his head.

"How are things?"

Christian didn't understand why Corin was suddenly interested in Anna, but he had to play along.

"Great, actually, I'm working at a publishing firm. My boss is…it's nice."

Anna eyed Christian. He better not say anything about Jack. They had enough to deal with already. Jack did not need to be on Corin's radar.

"You don't like your boss?"

"No, of course I do. I love my job."

Corin took another sip of his wine.

"I haven't worked for decades. I prefer to work with my hands. When everything became service oriented, I educated a few of my pack to become stock brokers and they help me with my investments."

"If only."

"Yes, if only."

Corin was done with Anna for now. Everyone worked on cutting their steaks. Anna took the first bite and moaned. Corin arched his eyebrow. Christian gave Anna a look.

"Just because I don't like you doesn't mean, I can't enjoy a good meal," said Anna.

"It's really good," said Christian.

"I'm glad you both like it," said Corin.

"Christian may I ask you a question," asked Corin?

"Yes," said Anna.

"I recently read that you might be selling a small tech company…"

Shit, Anna knew nothing about this. She kept Christian's gaze cold as she looked at Corin. Christian wouldn't talk business with Corin so she knew she could deflect the question once Corin was done speaking.

"Would you consider my company as a buyer?"

"Absolutely not."

"I thought as much. I have two other companies on my list, E-Global and Home Lender. Have you heard of them?"

"Is this some sort of test?"

"It's not my intention to offend you."

"I prefer not to discuss business at the table."

"My apologies."

Sierra looked around the table. What was happening?

"Well I've been trying to keep busy," said Sierra.

Everyone turned and looked at Sierra like she violated the conversation. Sierra returned to her plate. She hadn't earned their trust yet. She was there be by Corin's side and nothing else. Christian and Anna looked at Corin before eating again.

"I have one more question actually," said Corin.

Before anyone could look at Corin, Corin already had his hand around Christian's throat. Anna laid on the table and struggled to breath. She looked at her body.

"Everyone leave," ordered Corin.

Any wolf that was in hearing distance walked away from their post. Corin wanted privacy. Christian would have kicked Corin against the wall if he could, but he was helpless in this body. He stood up slowly and looked at his horrified face and up at Corin.

"What have you done with my son," asked Corin?

"I…I…don't…," Anna struggled to speak.

Corin eyes glowed and he squeezed Christian's neck harder.

"Stop," said Christian.

Corin looked at Anna, but kept his grip on Christian's neck.

"You have something to say," said Corin.

"Yes, I'm your son," said Christian.

Corin blinked and looked down at his son's body; he looked at Anna. Anna's postured changed and became more pronounced. She wasn't afraid of what she saw. Christian looked terrified. Why hadn't he fought back?

"Let her go," said Christian.

 _Her_? Corin looked down at Christian's body and removed his hand from Christian's neck. Christian sat up and coughed. Christian rushed over to his body and leaned down to help Anna.

"It's okay."

"Stop touching me," said Anna.

Anna made Christian's eyes turn white.

"What is this," asked Corin?

Christian stood up and raised Anna's hands toward Sierra and Corin.

"Don't be afraid," said Christian.

Anna stood up and a wind blew around her. Corin eyes widened. He looked at his son's body and was ready to attack. Anna took a step forward and stopped. Anna regained control and Christian's eyes returned to normal. She raised Christian's hand as if to plead for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry..."

Christian moved towards his body and hugged his body to him. Anna leaned Christian's head on her shoulder and covered Christian's face with his hand. Christian rubbed his back. Anna thought about what she felt in that moment. She wanted to make Corin pay for humiliating her. He was just trying to protect his son. If Corin wanted to kill Christian, he would have done it. Sierra placed her hand on her chest.

"Get away from her," said Corin.

Christian hugged his body tighter and gave Corin a warning look.

"No, it's still my body; if you hurt her, we can't fix what happened," said Christian.

Corin wanted to yell. How could this have happened? He never sensed power from Anna before. What had changed?

"You need to tell me everything, right now," said Corin.

Christian debated whether he should say anything to Corin. Corin arched his eyebrow. Body swap or not, Christian and Anna were not leaving this place until Corin had some answers. Christian saw that Corin was resolute. They weren't going anywhere if Christian didn't tell him everything. Corin still may try to hold them there, but if Christian told the truth, they may have a better chance of leaving Corin's estate.

"I have all the time in the world," said Corin.

"Alright, you have to promise me you'll let me handle this," said Christian.

"I can't promise you that, but I'm listening," said Corin.

Corin saw Anna's face sneer at him. Corin smiled. Yeah, that was his son alright.

 **Thanks for reading! Corin is just too powerful to not notice what happened to Anna and Christian. Will Corin lock them in his estate until Anna switches them back? Who knows? Well, I kind of know, I just don't know if I'm going to write that on not. I know some of you want them to switch back. It's coming soon. I just don't want to rush and have it look like they switched back randomly. I promise this will not be the entire plot.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews comments and constructive criticism.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

"Are you okay," asked Christian?

Anna nodded Christian's head. Anna was so embarrassed. She almost hurt Christian's father. If she hadn't regained control of herself, she would have created chaos. She might not be able to die, but Christian was still vulnerable. Anna raised Christian's head and quickly put his head back down to keep from crying. She would not have a breakdown in Christian's body in front of Corin and Sierra. Corin scoffed and shook his head. That definitely wasn't his son.

"Can we all sit down," asked Christian?

"I prefer to stand," said Corin.

Christian took Corin's answer as a yes for everyone else. Sierra flopped down in her chair. Christian walked the chair that fell back after Corin attacked Anna, he picked up the chair and Anna sat down on it. Christian stood beside his body and placed her hand on his shoulder. He wasn't going to give Corin another opportunity to attack Anna. Corin folded his arms and waited for Christian to speak.

"Anna recently discovered her powers; we think she's a hybrid like me," said Christian.

Corin now heard Christian's no nonsense tone in Anna's voice. He almost couldn't believe it was his son.

"We, who else knows about this?"

Christian hesitated for a moment. Grace was considered a subordinate to Corin. He didn't want his mother to be punished for helping them.

"It's just one other person, excluding Taylor of course. We have kept this contained."

Corin smiled. He would deal with that person later. If Christian didn't want to tell him, Corin would allow it. It would be easy for him to pay the conspirator a visit if Christian didn't know anything about it. He wouldn't kill her; he just planned to remind her that she was loyal to her king first, even above family.

"Alright; what is she?"

Anna didn't like that they were talking about her like she wasn't there. Christian must have sensed something because she felt her hand gently squeeze Christian's shoulder.

"We think she's half Fae."

Corin took a step back. Sierra eyes widened. Anna didn't need her abilities to know that they were frightened from the news. Anna wanted to stand up and plead with them, but he felt her hand keep her in place.

"She's Fae. Do you have any idea how dangerous she is?"

"She's not dangerous, she wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Christian, do you even know what a Fae is?"

Christian couldn't lie. He was ignorant about the Fae. Did Corin know about them? Maybe he could help them.

"No, we're figuring it out as we go."

Corin shook his head. His son was acting foolish. Of course he would. Wolves would do anything for their mates. Everything had changed now, whether they liked it or, Anna was a threat to their kind. Maybe if Christian knew more about her kind, he would be less likely to remain with Anna. Could Fae and wolves be truly mated? If Anna was a Fae, she would grow tired of Christian eventually. It was better to play along, then to fight them.

"How long have you two been like this?"

"Not long."

Corin looked at Christian's face. Anna was the key to all of this mess. He needed to know more about what she knew about her powers.

"Why did you do this?"

Anna looked up at her face. Christian nodded Anna's head.

"Christian was sick and I needed to save him."

 _My son was sick_ , thought Corin. Why didn't Christian come to him for help? Corin's anger quickly turned to sadness. His son would rather die than let him help him. Christian had to learn to trust him if he was going to take his place in the pack.

"How sick were you?"

"Very."

Corin glared at Christian; his son was truly frustrating.

"Go on, please," said Corin to Anna.

"Christian was losing total control and I knew I had to do something. On instinct I switched bodies to heal him. Christian's wolf was traumatized."

"How," asked Corin?

"Stress," said Christian.

"Can you sense his wolf in his body?"

Anna thought about Christian's wolf. She hadn't heard his wolf this entire time. Was it there? Of course it was.

"I don't think it could go anywhere, but no I haven't sensed anything."

Corin closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Anna had no idea what she did so how could she switch them back? Corin opened his eyes.

"How can I help you," asked Corin?

"You can tell us what you know and then leave us alone," said Christian.

"I'll do what I can, but you're stuck with me," said Corin.

"I thought as much," said Christian.

"You both are so intense," said Anna.

Corin smirked. Christian was not amused. Sierra covered her mouth to keep from laughing. This whole situation was fantastically ridiculous. Sierra couldn't get passed Anna's sweet spirit. If she was half human, maybe she wouldn't become like the Fae she heard about in stories.

"Can you tell us what you know," asked Christian?

"Yes," said Corin.

Corin walked to his chair and sat down. Anna and Christian looked at each other and at Corin. Corin took a bite of his steak.

"After I eat," said Corin. "I suggest you do the same."

Corin and Sierra waited right outside the door to give Anna and Christian a false sense of privacy. Anna and Christian stood in front of each other. She apologized for what happened. He told her it wasn't her fault. She couldn't believe that. She had to have done something to out herself to Corin. Christian doubted that was the case. Corin was a powerful alpha; he must have sensed the difference somehow. If Corin actually encountered a Fae, he would know how they smelled.

"I know you didn't want this," said Anna.

"It's not about what I want," said Christian.

Christian touched the side of his face.

"I just want you safe," said Christian.

Christian saw his eyes widened.

"What is it," asked Christian.

"I don't know," said Anna.

"Alright, can we go somewhere more private please," asked Corin.

Anna and Christian looked at Corin as he stood by the closed door with his hands in his pockets. It looked exactly like Christian's 'I'm not fooling around stance' Anna had come to know. Like father like son. Corin had significantly calmed down, but he was not happy. Christian nodded, held his hand and he and Anna walked out the door with Corin.

Taylor sat in the car and willed his abilities to become stronger; nothing happened. They were too far away from him. Unless Christian or Anna yelled, he would not know if they were in trouble. Even if they yelled, they might be out of his range. He assumed Corin wouldn't have them in hearing distance from here anyway. He had a lot of secretes and treasures in this place. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He quickly answered it without looking at the name on the screen. He thought it was Christian asking for help.

"Taylor," asked Alexa?

Taylor's eyes became cold. Why was she calling him?

"Yes, Alexa," said Taylor.

"Is your car here?"

Taylor looked around. Was Alexa behind him? He saw Alexa walk up to the car, she hung up her cell phone and leaned down by Taylor's driver's side window. Taylor did not want her to knock on the car window. She knocked on the window and waved her hand up and down to signal for him to roll down his window. Taylor signed and pressed the button to roll down the window. He looked at her and waited for her to speak.

"Is there something you need," he asked?

"No, I'm just checking in. Corin has me completing errands for him."

Taylor heard her cryptic tone. So Corin was still using Alexa for his business. Alexa wasn't truly free from Corin at all. Taylor sympathized for her. It wasn't like she had a choice in the matter. He thought she went back to her old life.

"He pays well so that's nice."

Taylor noticed a nearly healed wound between her neck and collar bone. Someone bit her. What were these assignments?

"It's not what you think."

"Just get in the car."

"What?"

"Get in the car, I know they can still hear us, but it doesn't make sense for you to stand by the window like that."

Alexa remained still. Taylor gave her a 'did you not just hear me' look.

"Are you afraid of me, Alexa?"

Alexa chuckled. There was the woman he remembered. She walked to the passenger side door, opened it and sat in the car. She looked him dead in the eye and shut the door. Alphas could be so easy to manipulate.

"I should have kept walking. You didn't smell my scent?"

Taylor didn't know how to answer her question without hurting her feelings. Taylor hasn't thought about her since Anna and Christian's problem. He frankly had other things on his mind. Alexa had her answer and looked ahead for a moment.

"So what brings you here," asked Alexa.

Christian and Anna sat down in the two brown leather chairs in front of Corin's desk. Corin looked around the office. There were a lot of horrible memories here. This was one of the only private rooms he had in his entire estate. If he went somewhere else, it would draw too much suspicion. Sierra asked if she could go to their room, she wasn't ready to stand in the place where she almost lost everything. Corin allowed her to go back to their bedroom. Christian watch Corin pick up a bottle of whiskey, open the lid and drink from the bottle. He grimaced after feeling such a slight burn from it. Even a werewolf would feel it if they drunk nearly half a bottle.

"Are you trying to get drunk," asked Christian?

"You know it would take a lot more than that, son."

Corin finished off the bottle and placed it on the table.

"So here's what I know."

Anna and Christian were at full attention. Corin started with the legend they were told. Christian interrupted him and told him they knew about the legend. Christian asked if any of it was true. Corin was skeptical about the legend as well. At first, he believed the Fae existed, but he didn't think they wanted anything to do with this realm.

"I met one centuries ago while hunting."

"What did it look like," asked Anna?

"Like a tall beautiful woman. She wasn't aware of me at first. I was in wolf form so I planned to run away. She saw me as soon as I started to move and raised her hand toward me. She forced me to walk to her. When I reached her, she petted me like a dog and I growled."

Corin eyes became distant.

"She said bad dog and instantly it felt like lava was coursing through my veins."

Corin looked at Anna.

"She laughed about the pain she caused. She raised me up and knocked me down to the ground. I refused to show fear, but I couldn't help the spasms she caused me. She said bad dog again and raised her hand. I thought I was going to die. Suddenly, another Fae appeared, a man, and he grabbed both of her hands and told me to run. She screamed. I limped away at first, soon my strength returned to me."

Anna was heartbroken from what she heard. It was a woman that tortured him. There was still hope; maybe the man that saved him was her father. She was capable of staying good.

"So there's in fighting among the Fae," asked Christian?

"It looks like it, that's why haven't seen them as much lately; until now."

"That means there are good Fae out there."

"I suppose or he might have been trying to subdue her and I was an afterthought."

Anna didn't believe that, but she wasn't going to say anything about it. Corin looked completely vulnerable as the spoke about that day. No wonder he had no love for her kind. Now she knew the Fae were capable of good and evil like everyone else. She had a chance.

 **Thanks for reading! Corin has seen the Fae up and close and it wasn't a good experience. His fear alone will keep him from understanding Christian and Anna's relationship. Christian already warned his father before, if it's between his father and Anna, he would choose Anna. Now that Corin knows about Anna's abilities, he may be able to help, but his intentions are only to help his son.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Corin stared at Anna and Christian and thought about what he planned to do with them. Corin eyed Anna's body and thought about what Christian would allow him to do in this situation. He knew Christian would not want to stay here until this mess was figured out. He also didn't want to draw attention to Anna and Christian in his estate. Anna leaned back Christian's body, she was nervous. Corin blinked and looked at his son's body and then at Anna's body.

"I have a lot of knowledge and resources here that can be at your disposal, but I have conditions," said Corin.

Christian arched Anna's eyebrow.

"What conditions?"

"I want to be involved in this and make sure you're safe."

"You mean Anna and I are safe."

Corin smiled.

"That was a given, son. Although, I doubt she has to worry about mortality at this point."

Anna didn't show her disappointment. Christian's father hated her and there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't change what she was now. She also didn't know if she wanted to change. If she was supernatural, she could stay by Christian's side without dying. She thought about her possible immortality. Now, Christian would die before her. She quickly dismissed the thought; she didn't want to think about living without him.

"Careful father…"

"Careful son…if you decide to do something regarding Anna's abilities, I want to know about it."

Anna looked down at her body. She didn't mind it. If Corin knew about her kind, he would be a great asset to them. He was the only expert they had at the moment and Anna knew Corin wouldn't hurt them. Corin loved Christian and Anna was immortal so they were safe.

"I don't think…"

"I don't mind," said Anna.

Christian looked at his body.

"We can stay here the weekend. I can do everything I need to online."

Anna saw her face turn from shock to disgust to pretending to be calm. Anna knew Christian planned to discuss this decision with her later.

"Then it's settled," said Corin.

Christian had a few choice words in mind for his father, but he remained a gentleman. Men didn't pout and if Christian told his father off, he would have given his father power over him and his father didn't deserve any part of him. Anna on the other hand was not off the hook. She had no idea what Corin was capable of doing to them. He might use this as a ruse to kidnap them permanently until they have switched back in their bodies.

Corin pressed a button on his office phone.

"Alexa, come in here, please."

Christian scoffed. Of course, his father would have Alexa as their guard.

Alexa knocked on the door, walked in the office and lowered her head.

"Rise," said Corin.

Alexa raised her head.

"Yes, my king," said Alexa.

"Anna and Christian will be staying with us for the next few days. I want you to stay in the room next to them and guide them around the estate. Bring them back here at…"

Corin looked at Anna's body. Alexa didn't understand why Corin was asking for Anna's permission to meet with Corin.

"9am is fine," said Christian.

Alexa noticed that Anna's tone was different. Had Anna grew a pair since Alexa last saw her?

"Good, I would invite you to breakfast, but that would draw unnecessary attention. Alexa can bring you food. Just tell her what you want."

Alexa held back her agitation; she didn't want to be slammed on the ground.

"Oh, she doesn't have to," said Christian.

Alexa glanced at Christian. Now she knew something was up. Christian wasn't an asshole, but he wouldn't care of she was embarrassed or not.

"I'm afraid that is the only way," said Corin. "Alexa do you have a problem with this?"

Alexa blinked and focused on believing her answer before she responded.

"No, my king," said Alexa.

Corin smelled Taylor on Alexa. She must have spoken to him on her way here. Corin held back his smile. Why not? Alexa did seem frustrated lately.

"Also, bring the driver up. You and he will share the room next to Christian and Anna."

Alexa's eyes widened for a moment. However, Corin was right to make the decision. Taylor wouldn't leave without Anna and Christian. It was easier to allow Taylor to be near them. Alexa nodded. Taylor may be agitated with the sleeping arrangements, but she will do her best to stay out of his way.

"Alright then and one more thing…Alexa, Anna is a hybrid Fae and has switched her and Christian's bodies. Discuss this with anyone else and I will kill you."

"Yes, my king."

Anna covered Christian's mouth. She forgot that Corin was capable of killing anyone in an instant. Alexa looked at Christian's body. Yeah, that was Anna alright. Christian wasn't surprised by Corin's threat in the slightest.

"Now you're spending the weekend with him," whined Kate.

Christian rolled his eyes as he listened to Kate talk about him on Anna's cell phone. He was starting to get the feeling that Kate did not like him that much.

"Don't be like that, I live there, remember," said Christian. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You better not. I miss you, Anna."

"I know."

"Do you miss me?"

Was she really going to make him say it? Fine, he'll say it.

"Of course I miss you."

Christian saw Anna cover his mouth with both hands and laugh. Christian gave her a look to say 'you're in big trouble when I get off this phone.'

"Okay, I guess I'll see you on Monday."

"Of course, see you then."

Kate hung up the phone. Christian dropped Anna's cell phone on the gold covered comforter that covered the queen sized bed. The one bedroom looked more like large hotel suite. The walls were white and they had a large bathroom in the back of the room. His father had a guest wing for visitors. Only Christian, Anna, Alexa and Taylor were on this floor. He was glad his father had enough sense to keep them as secluded as possible.

Anna walked up to her body and gave him a long kiss. Christian staggered back a bit. Anna's body reacted so strongly to his touch. Christian looked up at his face.

"What was that for," asked Christian?

"I just wanted to kiss you," said Anna.

Christian raised Anna's hand and touched the side of his face.

"You're still not off the hook."

Anna lowered Christian's head. Damn, it didn't work. If only they could have sex, that would have worked. Christian removed Anna's hand from his face. Anna looked back at her body.

"I was sick of you two fighting so I made a compromise," said Anna.

"You made a dangerous choice," said Christian.

"Christian, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think you need to trust your father more."

Christian backed away from Anna like she just stabbed him in the chest. Anna had no idea what she was talking about when it came to his father. The man only walked back into his life when he found out he could shift. His father didn't love him; he loved what he was capable of doing for his bloodline. He wished his father never showed himself to him. He was fine and he had a family that loved him.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to be close to him? It breaks me apart every time I have to endure his lies. Right or wrong, I don't trust him."

Christian felt Anna's eyes tear up. This wasn't him. It was Anna's body responding to his feelings. Anna walked toward Christian. Christian felt too vulnerable to move. Anna didn't reach out to touch him and he was grateful that she knew to give him some space. Christian covered Anna's eyes. He didn't want to cry. Not in front of her; he needed to be strong for both of them.

"Christian, I understand how this all feels, but actions matter. He hasn't tried to hurt you; he could have locked us up tonight.

Christian removed Anna's hand from her eyes.

"What makes you think this isn't a prison?"

Anna folded Christian's arms.

"Now you're being overdramatic."

Christian scoffed and walked toward the bed. He picked up Anna's cell phone and handed it to her. Anna took the cell phone. Christian pulled back the sheets and lay down on his usual side of the bed. He was done talking. Anna was in awe; did Christian just end the conversation and go to bed? He asked her off the light when she was ready to go to bed and closed Anna's eyes. He wiped away the one tear that fell from her eye.

Anna stood there and glared at Christian for a moment. So this was how it felt to be the man in an argument. Anna shook Christian's head and walked to the other side of the bed, placed her cell phone next to Christian's cell phone on the small dresser and lay on the other side of the bed.

Taylor stood in the middle of the bedroom and stared at the one bed in the room. Alexa stood by the door. She had never been so timid around a wolf before, especially an omega; an alpha omega. Alexa pushed off the door; she wasn't going to sleep standing up. She offered to take the floor. Taylor turned to face her; he told her that wasn't necessary, he can take the floor. She shook her head.

"It's not about being a gentleman," said Alexa. "I have to keep watch tonight anyway."

"Then I'll stay up too," said Taylor.

"That's not necessary."

"It is because if it's between me and you…"

Alexa looked as if she appeared in front of Taylor. She growled at him. As usual, Taylor did not lower his gaze while she threatened him. Her eyes glowed for a moment.

"Don't question my loyalty. I have proved myself to Christian and the king. Let me do my job."

Taylor arched an eyebrow and took a step back. Alexa might have killed anyone else for questioning her loyalty. He must still mean something to her. Alexa growled again and leaned against the door. She would be able to hear Christian and Anna easily from here. It would be a balancing act, she wasn't supposed to ease drop; she just needed to be attentive enough to sense any distress.

"For that, yes, I'm going to watch you sleep."

Alexa smiled at Taylor. Taylor grumbled.

Anna opened her eyes, but made sure not to move. She didn't want to wake up Christian. She felt something in the back of her mind. She focused on what she was sensing. When she realized what it was, her eyes widened. Christian's wolf finally stirred in his mind. Anna had no idea what to do. She could sense it was nervous; it knew something was different about Christian. She thought about waking Christian. He would know what she needed to do to communicate with his wolf. _Christian_ , asked his wolf? Anna slid out of the bed and walked to the bathroom. Christian was still sound asleep. Poor thing must be drained with everything he had to do over the past couple of days.

Anna turned on the light and looked at Christian's body in the bathroom mirror. She closed Christian's eyes and focused on trying to communicate with his wolf. _It's Anna_. The wolf became afraid. This was not normal. _It's alright; you can hear me, right_? _Yes_ , said the wolf. _I'm here to help you_ , said Anna. _Anna, mate_ , asked the wolf? _Yes, mate. You were sick before. Can you tell me what happened_? The wolf became silent. She heard a low growl inside Christian's mind. It was angry at Christian for what he did to him. _He tried to hurt me, kill me_ , said the wolf. Anna felt the wolf's searing anger and vulnerability. She needed to figure out how to make sure his wolf reconnected with Christian properly.

 **Thanks for reading! I think Corin handled the switch well. He loves his son and knows when it comes to Anna, there is nothing he can really do about it; his opinion simply doesn't matter. Alexa and Taylor may get back together, but Alexa has to get over her own issues first.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Anna opened her eyes. His wolf was calm now. She could sense that it was nearly healed, but it still was weary of Christian. It was afraid of being separated again. The wolf lay on its side and huffed.

 _Do you trust me_ , asked Anna? The wolf nodded its head. Anna had to be careful with what she planned to do next. She needed his wolf to trust Christian again so they could reconnect safely. _Can you trust Christian again, he needs you_. The wolf growled. Anna jumped. The wolf stopped growling when he saw that she was afraid. _He hates me, you stay_ , said the wolf. Anna smiled. She knew better, soon he would want to shift and Anna didn't know if she could handle the transformation. Her own powers might flare out of control. _I can't stay, it's not good for you_ , said Anna. The wolf huffed again. For a moment she was getting through to him; then he regressed. The wolf stood up and cowered away. What was wrong? She felt his pain and isolation. When Christian locked him away, it didn't know what was happening to him. Without Christian, he wasn't whole; the human betrayed him. How could it trust Christian? Anna sighed. How could she make his wolf understand that Christian made a mistake?

It had to deal with Christian itself. She backed away from the counter and walked out of the bathroom. Could she shift? How did it work? She walked toward the bed, bent down and lightly touched her shoulder. Christian slowly opened Anna's eyes and sat up. Was Anna alright?

"Are you okay," asked Christian?

Anna smiled. She thought he was mad at her.

"Yeah, I just felt your wolf in your mind," said Anna.

Christian removed the bedsheet from Anna's body and stood up. Anna took a step back to give Christian room to stand.

"Is it okay," asked Christian?

Anna saw the look of worry on her face, but it angered the wolf. Anna's eyes glowed. She took a few steps back and touched Christian's forehead.

"Are you alright," asked Christian?

Anna growled. The wolf wanted out. Christian did not back away, but he did not move forward either. If she was going to shift, the best thing he could do was guide her through it. Anna yelled out and fell on all fours. She had to take control of the shift or else the wolf might hurt Christian. She closed her eyes; when she opened them, her eyes were white like the Fae. Christian's back arched as it ripped through his suit, hair grew all over his body and his face stretched and molded into the shape of a wolf's head and snout.

"Anna…" said Christian.

The wolf stared at Anna's body. Anna sensed that Christian was afraid. He knew his wolf was angry with him. Christian raised Anna's hands in surrender. He didn't know if his wolf was angry enough to bite him.

"I can see that you're upset," said Christian.

The wolf growled, but didn't move. Christian now understood what it felt like to be faced to face with a werewolf. The wolf lowered its head. Christian had no idea what he was supposed to do. Did he need to just stand there all night and wait for Anna to change back? Christian waited to speak; talking seemed to piss his wolf off even more.

Alexa body became rigid, something was happening in Christian and Anna's room. Taylor stood up from the bed. He sensed it as well.

"Anna shifted," said Alexa.

Taylor turned his head toward the door. He may be the last barrier between Christian and Alexa. If Anna and Christian were truly in trouble, Taylor would help Alexa kick down the door, but if they broke the door, they would have to report it to Corin. Taylor had to be sure.

"I have to go," said Alexa.

"Just give it a minute," said Taylor. "Something like this was bound to happen and Christian is the only one in that room that can do anything in there anyway."

Alexa stared at Taylor. He knew Christian better the she did. She also knew Taylor wouldn't allow Christian to get himself into too much trouble, boss or not. Alexa nodded her head. They both agreed to keep their ear on Christian's room until they knew it was safe to stand down.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you," said Christian.

The wolf snarled and bared its teeth. Christian took a step forward.

"It was stupid and I take full responsibility for what happened because of my decision."

Christian took another step forward. The wolf made a low growl, but backed away. It was posturing; it had no plans to attack him. It was growling out of fear. Christian became heartbroken. Look at what he had done to himself? The wolf wasn't separate from him. It didn't deserve to be locked away. Christian knelt Anna's body in front of the wolf. The wolf bared its teeth, but stopped growling. He raised Anna's hand toward the wolf, embraced it and quickly pulled it towards Anna's body. The wolf whimpered.

"I will never intentionally hurt you again. I'm not whole without you, do you understand? We need each other. I understand that now."

He felt the wolf shift in his arms. His arms wrapped around his body; Christian's wolf cried as it held Anna's body. Christian wasn't an affectionate person; all he could do was hold his wolf.

"I forgive…you," said the wolf.

"Thank you," said Christian.

Christian's body pulled away from Anna's body and looked in Anna's eyes.

"No more pain," said the wolf.

"I understand; no more pain."

Christian's eyes glowed for a moment and returned to normal. Anna was back in full control. Christian touched the back of his head and looked into his eyes.

"Are you crazy," Christian asked jokingly?

Anna smiled.

"It worked," said Anna. "It's okay now."

Anna eyes turned white as she raised Christian's hands to touch the sides of her face. That same feeling took over when they first switched bodies. Both felt a like they were being pulled out of the bodies they were in and they fell back. This time, they woke moments later. They both sat up and looked at each other. Christian looked down at his hands and opened and squeezed them. Anna touched her face and smiled. They had switched back. Anna laughed. Christian exhaled as if he had been holding his breath the entire time he was in Anna's body. He stood up first and placed his hand in front of Anna to help her up. Anna reached for his hand and was reminded of how his touch sent lightening throughout her body. She looked down at his member. He smiled.

"Another time," he said.

She smiled. He was right. Alexa and Taylor probably heard everything that happened. As if Anna summoned them, she heard a knock on the door.

"One second," said Christian.

Christian walked to the bathroom, picked up a towel and wrapped it around his waist. When Anna saw him walk out of the bathroom, she opened the door. Taylor and Alexa stood side by side at the door. Anna was reminded of how good they looked together. Somehow she sensed they weren't as comfortable with each other like before; had they broken up?

"Is everything, alright," asked Alexa?

Alexa looked at Christian and noticed his confident posture. She looked back at Anna and saw her sweet smile.

"Yes, we're fine," said Christian.

"You two switched back," asked Taylor?

"Ah, yeah," said Anna.

Alexa didn't react to the information, but Taylor's mouth dropped as if a bomb of new information just blew up in front of him. Alexa looked back at Taylor and he quickly closed his mouth. Alexa turned her attention back to Anna and Christian. Christian walked up to Anna and held her at the waist. Anna closed her eyes and leaned back into his embrace. She didn't realize how much she missed feeling his arms around her. Taylor looked away and Alexa cleared her throat. Anna opened her eyes.

"You know I have to report this," said Alexa.

Everyone could tell Alexa didn't want to say anything to Corin, but she was right. Corin would punish Alexa and Taylor if he found out about it the following morning.

"We know," said Anna.

Alexa was relieved to know that at least one of them empathized with her. She was just doing her job. The consequences for disobedience were severe. She sighed and took out her cell phone. They all heard Corin's voice.

"Has something happened," asked Corin?

"Yes, my king," said Alexa.

"Tell me," said Corin.

Alexa told Corin that Anna and Christian had switched back into their bodies. She left out the confrontation Christian had with his wolf. Anna was grateful for that. Christian wouldn't admit it, but he appreciated Alexa omitting that part of the story as well. They heard Corin's low growl. He was still not pleased.

"Would you prefer that I come to see you, my king?"

"No, you were right to call me first. You're sure my son is safe?"

Alexa looked at Anna and saw Anna lower her head.

"Yes, my king."

"Then it's settled for now. Keep watch and we'll meet at the time we discussed."

Corin hung up the phone.

"I assume we're done here," said Christian.

"Yes," said Alexa.

Alexa looked at Anna again.

"I'm sorry, good night."

Alexa and Taylor walked away; Christian walked toward the door and closed it. Anna saw the tension in Christian's back. He was angry at his father for what he said. Anna walked up to Christian and hugged him from behind. She leaned her head against him. She refused to give Corin a single tear.

"It's okay, Christian," said Anna.

"No, it isn't," said Christian.

"It was our fault for ease dropping."

"That's not the point."

Christian turned around and faced Anna. He loved that he saw her face again. She gave him a weak smile. He couldn't stay angry for long when he had such a beautiful woman beside him. She reached for his hands and held them. He smiled. Anna had no idea what the smile meant. He quickly picked her up and walked to bed. She yelled and laughed.

"I love being a man again!"

Corin sat on the bed and stared out into nothing. Sierra leaned her head on his shoulder and rubbed his arm. She felt his erratic breathing. She had never seen him so shaken before. He was afraid for his son. If they were truly mated, Fae or not, Anna would never hurt Christian. Corin turned his head toward Sierra.

"I don't know what I'm going to do about this," said Corin.

Sierra stopped rubbing his arm for a moment.

"Isn't this what you wanted, me at war with my own son."

"Not anymore; I just want you to be happy."

Sierra took a moment to choose her next words carefully.

"You have to accept this, Corin, or you'll lose him."

Corin lowered his head. He pushed those memories of torture to the back of his mind a long time ago. Sharing his story brought all of those feelings back. She took all of his power away. He had never killed anyone that wasn't a threat to him. How could the Fae be so cruel? If Anna had such power inside of her, they were all in danger. She was going to change for the worse pure and simple.

"I know, time will reveal everything," said Corin.

After hearing his words, Sierra knew Corin wasn't finished with Anna and Christian just yet. He planned to use cunning to rip Anna and Christian apart.

 **Thanks for reading! Christian and Anna are back! They can barely keep their hands off each other. We may see a new side of Corin in this story. He knows he can't overtly break them up, but he plans to use some emotional manipulation to get what he wants. It won't work in the end, but he will do it until he figures out that Anna is good. Also, isn't it crazy that Sierra is the one trying to keep Corin and Christian together as father and son? Love is truly powerful.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

Anna pushed her body back to watch Christian sleep. She laid in only her bra and panties. He smiled and kept his eyes closed, she smelled so good. She scowled at him; of course she knew he was awake. She slid closer to him until they were eye to eye. His eyes glowed and her eyes turned white. She looked down; this was the first time he had a good look at her with her new eyes. He gently tilted her head back up with one of his index fingers and looked at her. His eyes changed back first, her eyes slowly returned to their natural color. She smiled. He truly loved her. Nothing had changed for him.

"What are you thinking about and why aren't you sleeping," he asked?

"I could ask you the same question," she said.

She moved her head toward his hand and kissed it. He knew she was planning something. She slowly moved his hand closer to her body and guided his hand to her breast. His breath hitched. What was she trying to do? It had been so long since he had been with her. He hadn't felt her conscious touch in a while. Feeling her body from his own hand sent cascading waves of pleasure throughout his body. She slid his hand down the side of her body and rested it on her hip. It was up to him now to finish what she started. He focused on keeping his penis in line. She couldn't possibly know what she was asking from him. Even though they were in a secluded hall, the cleaning staff would know of their coupling, which meant his father would find out about it.

"Can you squeeze my ass, Christian," asked Anna seductively.

Christian badly wanted to remove his hand, but his mind was not commanding his body effectively. For the moment, all he could do was remain still. If he moved, he just might give her exactly, what she wanted, him. He inhaled and smelled her arousal. She wanted him badly. She was sure of want she wanted. She entwined her hand with his hand and held it at her hip.

"What's wrong," asked Anna?

He was almost embarrassed to say how he felt. He had the most beautiful woman ready to fuck him and he was afraid of what his father would do if he found out about it. He was a grown man and he was uncomfortable with Anna's current proposition. If it had been anywhere else, making love to her wouldn't even be a dilemma. He wasn't afraid of his father finding out per se, he just didn't want his father to know anything about his personal life. He didn't trust Corin.

"I don't think it's a good idea. My father…"

Anna's eyes widened. Was the great Christian Grey scared of daddy? She smiled, but wouldn't dare say what she thought. Christian arched his eye brow; it was if he could read her thoughts. Anna was teasing him about his trepidation and he didn't like it. He quickly turned her on her back and held her arms above her head. She gasped and waited for his next move. She didn't take her eyes of him. He was so bold. He turned her on her back just to prove a point, but that had been a mistake. He arched the top half of his body above her torso. She bit her lip and he was undone.

He kissed her deeply over and over again. She moaned and gasped at his aggressive nature and loved every minute of it. His long kisses turned to quick pecks as he traced the side of her neck with his lips down to the center of her breast. He pulled away to allow her to take unclasp her bra. She threw the bra somewhere in the room; she would worry about where it landed later. He gently pushed her breast together and sucked both of her nipples at the same time. This time he moaned. How could he even think that he could give this up? He rubbed the bottom of her breasts with his thumbs as he continued to pleasure them orally. He could do this all night, but there were some many other places to pleasure her. She spread her legs; he saw that as a sign and continued his decent down to her core. She smiled. She was surprised when she felt his two fingers entered her first. He watched her intently. She slowly started to move her hips against his fingers. Whatever he did to her, it always felt good. She moved faster; she wanted to cum. He removed his fingers. She stared at him with a questioningly look. Why did he stop?

"Not yet," he said.

He put his wet fingers to his mouth and rubbed her liquid on his bottom lip. He never took his eyes off her as he licked his lip. She nearly pounced him as she reached for the back of his head and pulled him to her lips. She tasted herself on him and it made her even wetter. As they kissed, he gently guided her to lie back down on the bed. She obliged him. She opened her legs to receive him. He lowered his head and feasted on her pussy. Her legs almost collapsed from the sensation from his skilled tongue. She was already sensitive from his previous caress. She grabbed the bed sheets and felt them start to tear. She quickly released them. When did she become so strong? It must be her Fae side. She sat up quickly. What if she lost control? He stopped pleasuring her immediately and looked up at her.

"What's wrong," he asked?

"I can feel something happening to me," she said.

For a split second, he was barely able to comprehend what she was saying. He had forgotten about her new supernatural abilities. He only saw the woman he loved. His mind returned to him and he realized what she was saying to him. Something may happen if they continued to make love.

"What does it feel like?"

She thought about a way to describe it. What was she feeling? She felt powerful, like her body wanted to release a type of energy. She didn't know what that energy would do to Christian or the room. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. She looked at him. How could they be together? She wouldn't deprive him of a full relationship.

He saw the look in her eyes. She was feeling the same way he felt when they first started seeing each other. He was so much stronger than her and his wolf wanted her. He wasn't going to be able to hold back his wolf as he did with the other women he slept with. She helped him see that it was okay to love her. She trusted him and believed that he would never hurt her. He had to do the same for her now. He moved toward her. Her body became rigid. He reached for her hand, pulled it toward him and kissed the palm of her hand.

"Remember when I was scared of hurting you," he asked?

She nodded her head. Was this situation different or was it the same?

"We're bonded; Anna and nothing will change that. I trust you."

He had a point. She was even more aggressive than him when she found out about his wolf side. She bit her lip. He closed his eyes to keep himself in check. She had to make her decision soon. If he needed to take a cold shower, he would do it. Powers or not, she had a right to say no to him. She leaned in and gave him a kiss on his lips. He didn't know what to think. Was she kissing him goodnight or were they going to finish what they started? She kissed him again and moved her hand down to his center to stroke his member. He jumped slightly; he hadn't expected her to do that.

"Lay down," said Anna.

He turned toward the head of the bed and lay down. She moved her mouth toward his cock and wrapped her lips around his penis. She had become so good at doing this. His penis grew in her mouth. As her mouth covered his member, she used one hand to stroke his shaft. He groaned. She was going to make him cum. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her touch. She removed her mouth from his cock and raised her body over his thick erection. She hesitated for a moment. She knew if she was going to lose control, it would be during intercourse. She lowered herself on top of him and slowly filled her pussy with his cock. She wanted to feel all of the sensation that came from her movements. When she settled on top him, she placed her hands on each side of him and started to pound against him.

She usually liked it slow. Her core always had to adjust his size, but now her body was strong and she wanted his hardness slamming into her. She looked him in his eyes; he was enjoying her aggressiveness as well. He sat up on his elbows and watched her hips and breast sway with each movement. It was mesmerizing. She bent down to kiss him. They continued to kiss as she rode him hard. She didn't sweat like before, but he felt warmth coming from her. He moved his hands toward her ass and held on. She was so bold and he loved it. Whatever she would become, he would love her still. His body became warm as well, only the warmth as stimulating him. It was like his whole body was now sensitive to her touch. It felt so good.

The bed started to shake, in the back of his mind he knew this wasn't a good thing, but he didn't fucking care. He had to finish. She stopped for a moment and dropped her head. He looked up at her and waited to see if she was alright. She lifted her head; her eyes were white. Her breathing became short and quick. She looked down at him, wrapped her arms around him and switched positions. He was now on top. Her breathing slowed, she nodded her head to signal for him to make love to her. He stroked her slow and firm. She smiled. He still felt that warming sensation. A light wind blew around them. She yelled out and they nearly came at the same time. An unseen force pushed through his body. His eyes glowed for a moment and he fell on top of her. Now, they were both drenched in sweat.

He sat up first and looked down at her. Her eyes had returned to normal. She had a wide smile on her face. He had a look of awe and confusion on his face. If that was what he would experience from making love to her, he would gladly take it. He smiled down at her, rubbed her wet brown hair from her forehead and gave her gentle kiss. She rubbed his arm.

"Thank you for trusting me," she said.

"You did it first," he said.

"I know, but I didn't realize how dangerous it must have felt. You should have screamed and ran away."

He laughed.

"I'm glad I didn't do that."

"Me too."

"We're going to be in so much trouble tomorrow."

"It's fine, trust me. I can handle it."

He didn't like the sound of that.

"Nothing like that, I just mean, it'll be fine."

She saw his shoulders relax. She was glad she calmed him down.

 **Happy Holidays!**

 **Thanks for reading! I am only writing one chapter this week due to the holidays. We will be back on our regularly scheduled two chapters/week schedule soon. It is good to see Anna and Christian back together. Anna got to experience the other side of being the more powerful person in the relationship. Christian has no problem supporting her through this time of transition and they are both becoming stronger for it.**

 **Also, quick announcement:**

 **My story,** ** _The Two Sides of Grey Part I_** **, has been nominated as one of the top 5 Fifty Shades of Grey Completed Fanfiction for November/December!**

 **Thank you for loving my story. As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two

Anna and Christian lay wide awake in each other's arms. Christian didn't need much sleep as a hybrid. Anna was able to stay awake beside him. It bothered him a little; it was a reminder of how she had changed. Sometimes doubt would sneak into his mind. It was more about his own insecurities; she could decide to leave him. What if there was a male Fae out there that wanted to mate with her. He wanted to growl. He'd die first. She moved her head up and looked into his eyes.

"Your grip got a little tighter," she said.

He blinked and relaxed his grip. She snuggled closer to him. Just like that he had all reassurance in the world.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Its fine, it didn't hurt. Is everything okay?"

Christian wondered what her question meant. Was she asking as a concerned girlfriend or did she sense he was troubled? Either way he planned to answer truthfully. He also planned to make sure he wouldn't upset her in the process of admitting his feelings.

"Sometimes, I feel that these changes may affect our relationship."

He closed his eyes for a moment to prepare himself for the potential hurt and frustration that was going to be unleashed on him. When he opened his eyes, he felt her head lean on his chest.

"You think I would leave you because I have powers?"

He heard the hurt in her voice; he almost wished she was offended instead. He could take her anger, but her pain was breaking his heart. He never felt comfortable with dealing with other people's vulnerability. He spent his entire life avoiding it with anyone outside of his family, but Anna was different. He would listen to anything she had to say to him; even if he wouldn't be able to comfort her properly.

"I know how it sounds, but I wouldn't be honest if I didn't admit to it."

"I know; I have the same doubts in the back of my mind sometimes."

Christian's heart jumped. He sat up slowly, fisted his hands and placed them on the bed. So, she was considering leaving him. She was open to the possibility of finding someone else. It made sense on some level. Before he met Anna, he slept with Alexa out of pure instinct and even though he never bonded with her, he did experience something that only a she wolf could provide him. Maybe this was the same thing; she would eventually come back to him. Sex and being mated were very different things. She sat up slowly to sit beside him.

"It's not what you think. Sometimes I think that you might want to leave me. Your father…"

"He has nothing to do with my decisions and he never will."

She smiled at him. He was so angry when it came to his father, but father wasn't the issue right now.

"Okay then, I guess we're just being silly. Let's make sure we always talk about what's bother us that way we won't let others get into our heads."

He smiled.

"Agreed."

As they stared into each other's eyes, they leaned toward each other for a kiss. Alexa's knock on the door stopped them mid motion. Anna chuckled; Christian was not amused. Anna covered herself with the bedsheet, walked toward the door and opened it. Alexa blinked for a moment. Anna almost blushed. Of course Alexa could smell the sex in the room. Taylor stood beside Alexa holding clothes for Anna and Christian to wear for the day.

"Good morning, Anna," said Taylor.

"Good morning, Taylor," said Anna. "Good morning, Alexa."

"Morning," said Alexa.

Taylor handed Anna the clothes. Christian now stood naked behind Anna. He reached around Anna's body and took the clothes himself. He frowned as he saw the hunter green polo shirt and khaki pants. Taylor handed Christian a pair of brown loafers. At least his father got something right, he approved of the shoes. Anna was given a short yellow spaghetti strap dress. Her shoes would be acceptable for the outfit. Anna turned to speak to Alexa again, Alexa's head was down.

"Rise," said Christian.

He knew Alexa was only showing him proper respect for appearances. She didn't want to forget her place in front of his father and be punished for her mistake. Anna gave Christian a questioning look.

"Good morning, prince," said Alexa. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Anna hated that Alexa was forced to bring them food. If only they could find the kitchen themselves, but that was not an option. From what Anna saw last night, the place was a fortress. She didn't want to be body slammed on the kitchen floor over trying to find fruit from a refrigerator.

"I'd like toast and grapefruit," said Anna.

"I'd like steak with a glass of orange juice please," said Christian.

Alexa nodded her head.

"Yes, prince," said Alexa.

"You're dismissed," said Christian.

Alexa walked away. Taylor turned and yelled 'what about me?' No one heard a response. Taylor looked at Anna and Christian before following Alexa. Taylor wasn't fooling anyone; he liked being close to Alexa again. The door closed. Both Anna and Christian took a step back. Anna planned on shutting the door with her hand, but her powers closed the door instead. She turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to do that. I was going to shut the door with my hand. I guess my focus was stronger than I thought."

Christian smiled. Yes, it freaked him out for a moment; he had forgotten he his girlfriend had powers. When he remembered, everything was fine.

"It's nothing, no one saw it. Just try to be careful. You have to be discrete about these abilities."

Anna nodded her head and bit her lip. It still bothered her that she was able to use her powers so easily. Was she getting stronger? What else was going to happen? She needed to know what Corin knew about her abilities so she wouldn't accidently out herself or Christian.

Corin finished buttoning his white dress shirt as he looked in the mirror. He dressed more casually at home. Hence why he chose the outfit he did for Christian. Suits are not necessary for every occasion. Sierra walked up to her husband, stood beside him and rested her arms on one of his shoulders. She smelled so good.

"So what's your plan for today," asked Sierra?

Corin rolled up this sleeves and had a dark smirk on his face. Sierra could not take part in his plans. She and Christian were not on the best of terms and he did not want her actions to be mistaken for another attempt against him. Christian allowed her to live once; Corin doubted he would give Sierra a second chance.

"What is it?"

Corin turned his head to give her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Nothing my love, I don't want you involved in this. This is between me and Christian right now. I don't want him to think you have broken your promise."

Corin saw Sierra look down in shame. He didn't want her to think he didn't trust her. He just needed to make sure no misunderstanding occurred between her and his son. They looked at each other in the mirror. Corin moved fast as he switched positions with his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I have forgiven you, my love and Christian hasn't killed you so all is well."

Sierra smiled.

"I love you beyond reason. Trust me you would know if I hadn't forgiven you."

Sierra listened to the slight warning in his tone. Could he kill his mate? Yeah or nay, he may not survive it. No matter, she loved him and she would never betray him again. She also knew she wanted to make sure Corin didn't sabotage himself with his son. She knew in her heart that Corin didn't want to lose Christian. She was going to be dancing on a cliff until Corin came to his senses. She just may have her own part to play in this and she would have to make sure Corin wouldn't feel betrayed in the process. She nearly wanted to laugh out loud at the insanity of it. She was going to be an ally to two of the most powerful werewolves she knew; it just might get her killed.

"What's so amusing," he asked?

She didn't realize a slight smile formed on her lips. He was so attentive to her.

"Nothing worth mentioning, my love," she said.

Anna and Christian stepped into one of the largest personal libraries they had ever seen. Each wall was lined with hundreds of books and he even had a large catalog to locate each book in the room. Christian wasn't petulant, he allowed himself to be impressed if the occasion demanded it. This was the fourth time in his adult life that he was impressed by something.

"This place is amazing," said Anna.

"You haven't even looked at a book yet," teased Corin.

"I doubt that you would go through all this trouble for junk."

"You're right."

Corin leaned down toward the catalog and looked for the books he planned to show them.

"This place is unlike anything I've ever seen," said Christian.

Corin stood up and turned to face his son.

"Is that a complement, son?"

Christian immediately regretted giving Corin a complement.

"Yes."

The 'yes' was clipped, but Corin was still touched that his son liked his library. These were one of the few rooms outside of his office that he personally designed. He loved human and supernatural history; human crime novels were his guilty pleasure. He was so amazed by how a human could solve a crime without any supernatural senses. The authors wrote believable scenarios that made the book even more interesting to him.

"Thank you," said Corin.

Christian shrugged his shoulders. Anna smiled, it was nice to see Christian and Corin have a sweet moment. Corin turned back to the catalog and looked through the alphabetized list of his books. He had twenty books regarding the Fae.

"Ah yes, this way," said Corin.

Anna and Christian walked behind Corin. Corin walked up to the row of books and looked at Anna and Christian.

"This is what I have."

Christian and Anna walked up to the row of books. Both of them looked disappointed. There weren't that many books on the Fae.

"You don't have much," said Christian.

"Christian…" said Anna.

"What?"

Anna rolled her eyes. Christian didn't have to state the obvious to make his father feel bad about his collection. They had no idea what was in these books, they may have everything they need to help her figure out her powers. Anna smiled at Corin.

"Don't listen to him," said Anna.

"Oh, I'm not," said Corin.

Christian frowned at his father. His father didn't react one bit to his son's face.

"Trust me when I say this; these books are the authority on the Fae. There are many worthless texts out there, but these are authenticated. The Fae aren't known to give interviews. These are collections of firsthand accounts and fables that were told during my younger years. There's not a how too book available, but I have been able to deduce a lot of things from them."

"Why the interest," asked Christian?

Anna looked at Christian. Why would Christian ask that?

"After I was attacked, I wanted to find out if they had any weaknesses to protect myself. For a time, the Fae became an obsession of mine."

Anna glared at Christian again. Even Christian had to admit he acted like a prick just then. Of course Corin would try to do everything he could to avoid being attacked like that again.

"I apologize," said Christian.

"It's alright, all wounds heal in time," said Corin.

Anna felt for Corin. She couldn't imagine what that pain felt like. She noticed Corin stare at her for a moment. His look was unreadable to the common eye, but she read his expression loud in clear. He still didn't trust her.

 **Thanks for reading! Corin is still acting petulant. He's just being more careful about revealing his true intentions to Christian just yet. Anna's is slowly losing hope in Corin, which ironically will cause Corin to lose the very thing he wants, Christian at his side.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews comments and constructive criticism.**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

Anna sensed her powers stirring inside of her. If she was honest with herself, she was starting to become frustrated with Corin's passive aggressive comments toward her. She simply kept a straight face. She knew Corin would look for any excuse to keep Christian and her apart from each other. She had to be just as cunning as Corin. Her last thought made her pause. She wasn't this person. Corin was acting like a bully, if she didn't engage him, then nothing would happen.

"Is everything alright," asked Corin?

"Everything is fine," said Anna.

She wanted Corin to know that his tactics were not bothering her in the slightest. She noticed subtle disappointment in his eyes. She held back her smile.

"May I," she asked?

"Of course," said Corin.

Christian looked between Anna and Corin. Christian was proud to see Anna handle Corin so well. Anna and Christian each carried a few books in their arms. Anna saw the table in front of them and all of the books they carried appeared at the table. Anna stopped in her tracks and looked back at Corin and Christian. They both had the same agitated/annoyed look on their face.

"That was an accident," she said.

"It's alright sweetheart," said Christian.

Christian planned to remind her to be careful in private. Corin didn't need to know about their personal concerns.

Christian, Corin and Anna walked toward the table that was covered by neatly stacked books and sat down at the table. Anna cleared her throat and took a book from the stack. When she opened the book she had a vision of everything that was in it. She exhaled and looked at Christian.

"I just absorbed everything in this book," said Anna.

She laughed. Christian didn't know what to say and Corin folded his arms.

"So you can absorb books," asked Christian?

"She can do almost anything she wants," said Corin.

Anna eyes turned white for a moment. Both she and Christian heard Corin stop breathing. He started to breathe again moments later. Anna touched her forehead; she needed to get away from Corin for a while.

"May I step in the hall way, I just need a minute," she said.

She didn't wait for Corin's permission and walked outside of the room. Corin's mouth dropped. Christian was too worried about Anna to deal with his father's behavior at the moment. He wanted to go out there with her, but she asked to be alone. He would respect her wishes for now.

Anna's head became hazy; she looked down the hall and the walls started to move. She hoped she wasn't making them move like that. She closed her eyes. Why was she so bothered by the man? He was just being an ass. She searched for a reason and the truth terrified her. She was mad at his insolence. How dare he treat her like this? She covered her mouth and nearly cried. For the first time in her life, she wanted to hurt someone. What had she become?

Anna walked toward the door and they opened without her touching them. She stood at the door and looked at Corin and Christian. When she walked toward them, Corin took a few steps back.

"I'd like to go now," said Anna.

"Alright," said Christian.

Christian watched Anna closely as she walked into his apartment. She turned slowly to face him and started to cry. He rushed toward her and held her in his arms; she cried even harder after he embraced her.

"Its okay, Anna. I'm right here. Everything is going to be okay."

She didn't say anything. If Christian knew how she felt around Corin, what she was capable of doing to him, Christian wouldn't look at her the same again. How was she going to explain her tears to him? He felt her body relax a little in his arms and she looked up at him.

"Christian, I almost…"

Christian waited for her to finish speaking, but she closed her mouth. What did she plan to say to him?

"Almost what?"

Anna grabbed Christian's arm and moved him behind her. Her eyes turned white. Something was coming. She looked back at him and told him that something was coming for them. Christian wanted to shift right there. She held his hand and kept her eye on a specific area of the room. They both waited for the intruder's arrival. A wind blew around the place in question and a man appeared before them. Anna and the man had the same eyes. Anna's eyes returned to normal.

"Dad?"

The man smiled. He was a tall slender man dressed in a crisp royal blue shirt, black slacks and dress shoes.

"Yes, it's me, Anna," said Franklin.

Anna walked toward her father; she still could not believe her eyes. Christian stood still. In his eyes, there was still an unwanted intruder among them. Anna reached toward her father, then put her hand down. Even Christian was surprised by her behavior. Anna looked at her father's body again.

"This isn't real, show me who you really are."

"Anna…"

"Please, I have to see it."

Franklin looked down for a moment. This was what he looked like on this realm. He wanted her to see him as she knew him. He could sense that she was struggling with new abilities; it was why he came to her. He didn't want to risk exposing her identity. He also couldn't bear for her to lose herself to her own powers.

"Are you sure," asked Franklin?

"Yes," said Anna.

"Alright, as you wish."

Franklin eyes turned white. Anna took a few steps back as a wind blew around Franklin's body. She watched his muscles bulge and his clothes change. His hair changed from brown to raven and grew down his back. His hair braided itself and was tied in place behind his head. When the wind stopped blowing around him, Anna saw a large muscular body builder type before her. His facial features were almost more feminine than masculine. Franklin lowered his head to greet her properly and looked at her.

"It is good to see you, my daughter."

Anna had no idea what to say.

"May I come forward?"

Anna nodded her head. Christian balled his hands into fist. Franklin sensed the young man's anger and looked at him.

"I mean you no harm."

"Why come here now," asked Christian?

"Christian…." said Anna.

"It's alright," said Franklin.

Franklin slowly walked up to Christian. Christian hated that he took an involuntary step back. Christian's father was right, their powers radiated off them. It was terrifying. He wanted to shift and attack him. No matter how futile, he wanted to defend his territory. Franklin stood a few feet away from Christian. He didn't want to upset the wolf. He was only acting out of fear. The Fae had a reputation among wolves and their instincts were now wired to fear them. Frank raised his hands in surrender. Christian felt a calming presence. Was the Fae using his powers on him?

"What are you doing to me," asked Christian?

Anna sensed Christian emotions. He was scared of her father.

"I'm only making sure nothing happens here we don't want to happen, son."

Christian eyes glowed. Anna took a step forward. Franklin shook his head and Anna stopped moving.

"I just wanted to say thank you for protecting my daughter. I have never kept my eyes off her and you made it so I didn't need to intervene."

Christian made a dark smirk.

"So you intentionally left her in danger?"

"No, trust me on this. I chose the safer option. You and I both know it's hard to act rational if you have a loved one in danger."

Christian couldn't disagree with him. He remembered how lost he was when he found out about Anna's kidnapping. He became feral and was no good to anyone. He put himself in a position to where he couldn't help the woman he loved. As a father, Franklin would have laid waste to everyone in the vicinity and possibly start a war.

"I have no issue with this union, but you both need to be aware of the trouble you may have together."

"It doesn't matter, I love her," said Christian.

"I love him," said Anna.

Franklin smiled. He hadn't witnessed a love like this in a long time.

"Very well," said Franklin. "Thank you again, Christian."

Franklin moved his hand; Christian became completely still. Anna yelled and ran toward Christian. She touched his hand and saw that he was still warm. He had been frozen in place. Anna waved his hand in front of Christian's eyes, there was no reaction. She turned around to face her father.

"What have you done to him," she yelled.

Franklin looked at his daughter with no expression.

"He's alright; I just needed to speak with you privately. He can never know what I am about to tell you. When I release him, he won't even know what happened to him."

Anna shook her head. Her father just treated Christian like a toy. Were all Fae selfish in one way or another?

"The sooner I speak with you, the quicker I can release him."

Anna looked at her lover one last time. If she could release him herself she would, but she wasn't able to overpower her father.

"What do you want to say?"

"It would be quicker if I just showed you."

He held out his hand. She had a feeling this would be like the book she absorbed. Did she really want to let him in her mind? What if he was trying to manipulate her? Was her father like the Fae that protected Corin in the woods?

"Anna, I'm your father, you can trust me. Use your powers to sense my emotions, my intentions."

"I can do that."

He smiled.

"Yes, you can. Just act as if you're staring through me and focus on what you want to know."

Anna nodded her head. She stared at her father. His Fae form was a little intimidating. Her natural senses were stronger as well; she didn't hear a heartbeat. She looked up at her father and placed her hand on her chest. Her heart pounded inside of her. She returned her focus to her father. He was worried about her and something else. There was no deceit or maliciousness inside of him. She looked into his eyes.

"Okay, I'll do it."

She walked up to her father and stood in front of him. He raised hand and touched her forehead. Her eyes turned white. She saw her father standing with a group of Fae as they fought against other Fae with swords. The swords were unlike anything she had seen; they were large with an intricate design on the blade, like vines. The vines glowed bright blue after the sword stabbed a Fae. The Fae would glow, turn to dust and burst.

Franklin removed his hand from Anna's forehead and Anna's eyes returned to normal. So the Fae were at war with each other. At first they agreed to leave this realm, but some Fae want to return and conquer earth. The larger population makes the Fae ravenous to play among the humans. Their infighting has kept the world safe, but she can sense that her father has grown tired of the war.

"You did all this for us," asked Anna?

"The Fae are not as monstrous as you have been told, it's only the bad ones that garner attention. Most of us keep to ourselves and enjoy creating things, not hurting other creatures."

Anna thought about the Fae that saved Corin.

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Did you save Christian's father?"

Franklin stared at her for a moment.

"Yes, I did; unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be grateful for it."

"I know, but deep down he is."

"I'm sorry about Christian, but outsiders can't know about Fae business."

Franklin raised his hand and Christian blinked.

"As I said before, I'd like to know why you are here," asked Christian.

Anna planned to tell Christian what his father did to him as soon as they were alone.

 **Thanks for reading! Anna was getting close to losing herself to her unbridled powers; her father showed up just in time. Franklin is bringing up all kinds of daddy issues for Christian. It shows how much Corin's abandonment affected him.**

 **I actually have a question this week. Should Anna disclose 'Fae' business to Christian? I think she should be honest with him, but there could be consequences. What do you all think?**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

Franklin admired the young wolf; Christian had done so much for his daughter. It reminded him of his relationship with Carla, Anna's mother. He forced himself to not think about her. If he stayed, he could have lost them both. Christian waited for the Fae's answer.

"Anna's powers are growing; she won't be able to contain them much longer. She needs guidance."

Christian balled his hands into fist. Was Franklin planning to take Anna away from him? Would Anna want to leave? He had a feeling that it wasn't easy to travel between realms and he didn't want to lose Anna to a place he couldn't reach her.

"It's not what you think. Anna wouldn't be safe in my realm. Even though she will be powerful, I don't want her be a part of the mess we have brought on ourselves."

Anna looked up at her father.

"You mean, I can never go there," asked Anna?

Franklin looked at the hurt in his daughter's eyes. He would love for her to see their realm, but it just wasn't safe. He doubted she wanted to live there; she just wanted to know more about her heritage. Unfortunately, that was not an option. She was the Fae leader's daughter and there were too many consequences that came with that title. Powerful or not, he would not put his daughter in danger.

"Anna..."

Anna looked at Christian. She could feel his heart breaking. She had no intention of staying, but she did want to visit the place. She had to choose her words carefully. Christian was nearly on edge. The shock of seeing her father and what it meant was almost too much for him.

"Christian, I wouldn't leave you. I just wanted to know what it would be like."

"It would be a beautiful place that harbored war and death. I'm sorry, Anna, but it's not possible for you to go there. It's too dangerous."

"I know, will you let me go when the war is over."

Franklin gave her a sympathetic smile. The war showed no signs of ending. He also didn't plan to see her again once she had full control on her powers. That conversation was for another time.

"So, what's the plan," asked Anna?

Franklin was grateful that she changed the subject.

"Now we train."

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

Christian walked up to Anna and rubbed her shoulders for encouragement.

"You can do this, Anna," said Christian. "You're the one of the smartest women I know."

"I know," she said with a smile.

Christian arched his eyebrow. Was that the Fae in her talking again?

"It was a joke."

Christian nodded his head.

"Very funny."

Franklin cleared his throat. Christian and Anna looked at Franklin.

"When do you want to start," asked Franklin?

"Now, how long will this take? I can't miss another day of work?"

Ah, yes the assistant job. His eyes almost turned white when he thought of the coward that was trying to pursue his daughter. The wolf would be taken care of soon enough. Franklin knew Christian would handle this Jack with ease.

"We can start now. However, we need to do this privately. Will you two be alright with that?"

Franklin looked at Anna and Christian. Anna looked up at Christian and hugged him. Christian embraced her tightly. He didn't want to let her go. What if she didn't come back? Was this good bye?

"Come back," said Christian.

"Of course I will," said Anna.

Christian and Ann kissed. Franklin looked away to give them some privacy. After all, he was still her father. Anna bit her lip and Christian nearly pulled her body against him again. She needed to do this alone and he would respect her wishes. He thought about her interaction with his father. She was starting to do things unintentionally, she needed to learn how to use her abilities or she would be discovered. They both stepped back from each other. Anna walked toward her father and stood beside them. Christian kept his hands at his sides. If he reached for her, he would never let her leave.

"I'll be back," she said.

"I know."

"Are you ready?"

Anna nodded her head and closed her eyes. They disappeared before Christian's eyes could register what happened. Christian backed away and refused to lose his mind. She said she would come back to him and he believed her. Nothing else mattered right now; his emails and reports could wait. For now all he planned to do was make sure Anna came home.

Anna opened her eyes and looked around to see where her father had taken her. It looked as if they were in a large black room. There were no windows, no doors, only walls and a ceiling. Somehow they looked as if they were standing in a lit room, but she couldn't see where the light was coming from.

"Think of this a training room. No one can hear or see us and no one can be harmed."

"How did you do that, where are we?"

"We're in between realms. No one will find us here. You're safe."

"I'm safe?"

How powerful was her father? He seemed so strong and sure of himself. Her mother was confident as well. How did she grow up to be such a timid creature? She was unsure of herself sometimes, but she never let it stop her from going after what she wanted to do. How powerful would she become and how would it change her?

"How powerful are you, dad?"

Franklin smiled.

"I am quite adequate."

That was all she needed to hear. Her father was probably one of the strongest Fae in his realm. It was probably the reason the bad Fae haven't taken over earth yet. She wanted to learn everything she could about him.

Franklin started the lesson. He told her about her abilities. As Fae, their powers stemmed from manifestation. She asked what that meant. She had a good idea, but she just needed to hear it from her father to make sure she understood him. He said that the Fae were creatures that had the ability to change and manipulate anything around them. The stronger they became, the more they could do. For instance, many of the young Fae cannot travel through realms. As her father spoke, Anna wondered how Fae's were born.

"Fae's are not born in the traditional since. Unless they are a hybrid like you, they simply come into existence one day. The right amount of power surrounds an area and a Fae appears fully grown, but still naïve. It takes them entire day to become who they intend to become."

"Who they intend to become?"

"Like humans, there is good and evil and some decide to use their powers for selfish amusement instead of using their abilities to make their realm a better place."

Anna thought about her father. She wanted to know how he became good. He debated telling her. They had so much to do in a little amount of time, but he couldn't deny her anything. It was starting to make him nervous.

He said he appeared in a field covered in wild flowers. He knelt down and covered his ears because he could sense everything at once. He closed his eyes and focused on silencing everything around him. When he opened his eyes, he felt nothing and saw that he had destroyed the field. He was horrified, within the first few moments he had experienced death and it terrified him.

"I remembered looking down at my hands. I asked myself was this my purpose was this who I was meant to be?"

He stood up and closed his eyes again. If he could destroy then he could create as well. He felt a warm wind blow past him again. A bird landed right in front of him. He opened his eyes and looked down. The grass and flowers had returned. He smiled, knelt down and picked up the small white bird. The bird made a few tiny steps in his hand and chirped joyfully.

"When I realized the bird wasn't afraid of me, I knew I wasn't evil. I moved my other hand over it to give it a more colorful pelt and it flew away."

He smiled thinking about it. Looking back, the bird saved him. It was not enough to have these powers, what mattered to him was giving life to others. She was so proud of her father. No wonder he saved Christian's father from the Fae woman. He couldn't help himself; he was just that type of man.

"Wow, so a Fae's first experience is very important to whom they become?"

"Yes, it's all about what they chose to do with their power."

Anna thought about all of the things she had done with her new abilities. The first thing she did was help Christian. Did this mean she was good; she didn't have to worry about hurting anyone?

"Did you ever see the bird again?"

"No, I also didn't need to see it again."

She was glad that she was born naturally. It was probably a very frightening experience to wake up with some much power and not really understand what it meant. If she didn't have someone she could confide in like Christian, she may have lost herself?

"Are you ready for your first lesson, Anna?"

"I think so…"

"Good. All your powers stem from your will. You have to accept your powers and connect with them completely. If not, it can overwhelm you."

Anna really wished he phrased what he said differently. She was already nervous about all of this and now her father had officially confirmed her fears. She also didn't know what he meant by accepting her powers. Had she been denying them this whole time? That may explain why her powers only did what she wanted to when she was focused on making something happen.

"You remember the incident in Corin's library?"

She looked down in shame. She was very angry with how Corin was treating her. She was being unfairly judge and she was starting to let it get to her. She believed that it was just her Fae side acting up. From what she read, the Fae had serious tempers.

"Yes, I lost control."

"There's no reason to be ashamed of what happened. If you wanted to, you could have done a lot worse."

She still felt bad about it. Corin was already apprehensive toward her and she just gave him an excuse to be afraid of her even more. If she couldn't control herself, then he and Christian would be in danger. She couldn't allow that to happen.

"You're still pretending like you're human, just like you were raised to understand and control your emotions, you have to learn how to accept who you are?"

Franklin could tell she was holding back; she wanted to say something.

"It's alright, say what you need to day."

"I don't want to hurt your feelings."

"You have to be honest for this to work."

She took a moment to choose her words carefully.

"Sometimes, I feel like I'm turning into a monster."

She looked at her father closely. All she saw from him was sympathy. She could now see where her caring spirit came from. She almost couldn't picture him as a warrior; then she remembered what she saw from his memories. He was gentle as well as ferocious.

"I understand. These powers can destroy and you are right to be conscious of that, but you have to accept yourself. You can't pretend that the old Anna still exists now."

"What does that mean?"

Was he going to show her how to transform into something else? What were his intentions?

 **Thanks for reading! Anna has to make sure her father's intentions are pure. Has Franklin told her everything? Christian will be a mess until Anna returns to him, but he trusts her. Anna understands that she has changed, but she doesn't want to lose herself entirely by accepting her Fae side.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five

Franklin sensed her fear. What had he said to make her suddenly afraid? He hadn't lived on Earth for a while, but he thought he mastered their speech. Had he said something a little too harshly? Surely, she knew that she was safe. If she was truly in danger of losing herself to her powers, he would have arrived sooner. She was still able to learn how to control her new abilities.

"I don't want to change, I mean, I know I've changed, but I don't want to become something else," said Anna. "Am I going to grow two feet or something?"

Franklin laughed. His daughter was so delightful. He hadn't been this happy since he spent time with her mother. He stopped laughing immediately, he couldn't become comfortable here. His people needed him. He thought he could leave the war, but during his absence, the evil Fae became stronger and nearly whipped them out. This war was his burden and no one else could hold the line between realms like he did.

"I guess that's a no?"

"Yes, your form will remain the same. You are only part Fae so you will not become taller and our females muscular tone is not as large as the males. You have nothing to worry about. All you need to do is learn how to use your abilities and keep them hidden when necessary."

Anna exhaled. She still didn't feel completely comfortable with accepting her Fae side. Her new found tempter disturbed her. She rather not deal with it at all. She thought about Christian; he tried to separate himself from his wolf and it nearly destroyed him.

"What about my new issue, my tempter?"

Franklin arched his eyebrow. Yes, he was aware of their tempers. Even a good Fae's patience was easily lost in certain instances. He remembered almost removing Carla's ability to speak in a certain argument. He simply wanted to let it pass, but she wanted him to agree that he was wrong. He usually gave into her, but today he decided to take a stand. She was the first creature in a long time to make him nearly lose his temper. Anna would be tested as well, but he knew she wouldn't allow herself to hurt anyone.

"It's a burden we all have to bear, but I assure you, your tempter is only half volatile."

Anna covered her face and laughed.

"Was that a joke?"

"Yes, did I do it, right?"

"You nailed it."

Franklin had a confused look on his face.

"It means you did well."

Franklin smiled.

"Wonderful, now let's begin."

Christian's feet pounded his treadmill as he ran on it. He had already run eight miles. He didn't plan to stop until he felt pain. Thanks to his hybrid nature, he could run for a long time. His wolf was more confused than anything else. Thankfully, it didn't know that Anna might not come back to them. He didn't want to risk shifting. His own emotions may cause more trouble in wolf form than his own wolf. By mile ten his calves started to burn, he gradually slowed down the treadmill and hopped off of it. He did a few stretches to relieve any potential soreness. His cell phone rang; it was resting on the place holder on the treadmill. He picked it up without looking at the screen. He gladly accepted any distraction right now.

"Is everything alright?"

Christian grimaced and mimed banging his cell phone against his head before he responded.

"Hello, Corin. Everything is fine. Didn't I just see you?"

"Well, I had to be sure. It's obvious that Anna's powers are growing."

Christian was not going to talk to his father about Anna. Christian knew Corin would use any excuse to keep Anna and Christian apart. Christian smiled. After all he had witnessed, Anna was sure to remind Corin of her new abilities to keep Corin in check. Christian thought about the trauma Corin faced and felt guilty about what he thought. His father did have a reason for his apprehension, but he had to move past it. Anna was not the same Fae that tortured him. Her father could have done anything to Christian just now, but he only wanted to help Anna.

"I'm not discussing my girlfriend's abilities with you, father."

Even though Christian never used the word father out of love and respect, Corin still appreciated it when he heard it.

"Alright, son. Can we talk about something else?"

Christian took a beat to ready himself for what Corin planned to say to him.

"Yes."

"I want to start making plans for your introduction."

Christian arched his eyebrow. What introduction? Christian and Corin had no ties to each other besides…Christian realized what his father meant. He walked to a nearby bench and flopped down on it. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Did his father really think that Christian was going to become the prince of his pack?

"What do you mean by introduction?"

"It's time son. Wolves are already talking; it's best we make your identity public. You won't rule for a long time. I have hundreds of years left in me. I only want to acknowledge you publically for now."

"No."

"What?"

"I said no. I want nothing to do with being a royal. You and I both know that once I'm announced everything will change."

Corin knew everything would change, but he would be right there with his son to make sure he wouldn't be harmed.

"Things will change; you can't hide from your birthright."

"What about Anna, you do know I plan to marry her someday. Can a Fae hybrid be an alpha's wife?"

Corin was silent. He didn't want to discuss politics with his son at the moment. He knew it would be hard enough for him to accept the official announcement to his pack. Anna was going to be a complication regardless. Bloodlines are still very important to packs. Christian's own heritage was already a factor. Yet Corin didn't care; Christian showed his strength at the Blue Lounge effectively. No wolf would dare question Christian's ability, but Anna's heritage would be an issue. She was the enemy now.

"Christian, I know you have strong feelings for her and I respect that."

"I don't just have strong feelings for her. I'm in love with her. My wolf chose her. Anna is not going anywhere unless she decides to leave, do you understand?"

Corin eyes glowed. Anna was liability to his son and the pack. She could destroy everyone in an instant with just a thought. His poor son was delusional. The Anna he fell in love with was gone. She couldn't reverse what happened to her. Sooner or later, Christian was going to look like a pet to her and that was going to break him. Corin was just trying to save Christian before she hurt him.

"Anna is not the same woman you…"

"Good bye, Corin."

Christian hung up the phone and threw it across the room; it shattered to the ground. Now he needed a new phone. He didn't need to hear his own insecurities out loud. How could a man he never known get under his skin so easily. Was this Corin's plan, infest Christian with insecurities until Christian started to believe them and make a mistake. When was Anna coming back? She wouldn't let Franklin keep her out too long, Monday would be here soon.

Christian stood up and walked to the pull up bar. He lifted his body up and used the tension in his muscles to distract him from his father and his own insecurities about Anna's change. Like before, he didn't plan to stop until his body ached. After that, he planned to see Taylor and go buy a new phone.

Taylor sat on the couch and half watched a talk show. He didn't really want to do anything. Being around Alexa took a toll on him. He tried to respect her wishes, but her lingering scents made him want to shift and find her. His wolf chastised him, it wanted out; he would make her come back to them. Taylor rubbed his face, his wolf was more Alpha than Omega, but physically, Alexa could kill him at any moment. He knew she wanted him too, so he planned to wait for her to come to her senses. If she felt what he felt after spending time with each other, it shouldn't take long. Taylor sensed Christian at his door and stood up. He walked to the door and opened it.

"Is everything okay, sir?"

Christian sighed. No, everything was not okay, but he couldn't afford to dwell on his issues for long.

"I broke my phone."

"Oh, that explains a lot."

"I know, can you take me to the store?"

"Of course."

Taylor put on his suit jacket and stepped outside.

"How do I even accept this," asked Anna?

"First you need to stop thinking that your Fae side is separate from you. It's always been there," said Franklin.

Anna nodded. He made sense, but this was all new to her. She was just introduced to the supernatural recently. She never expected that she would be affected by it in this way. If she ever decided to tell her mother about her new powers, would her mother accept her? She felt her father's hand touch her shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze.

"It's okay to grow and change, Anna. You're not going to lose yourself."

"How do you know?"

"Because you're my offspring and I believe in you. You have to accept yourself."

"Okay…"

Anna closed her eyes. She felt a force rising inside of her. A whispering wind sound filled her ears. She _was_ changing. Her eyes jerked open and turned white. Her father wasn't completely honest with her about potentially losing herself; it was too late to go back. She exhaled. A strong wind blew around her and she lifted off the ground. All she could feel was power and it was felt so seductively overwhelming.

"Anna, that feeling isn't real. You have to command it. Power is nothing; it's why beings become corrupt seeking it, but never attains it."

Anna looked down at her father. He could see her struggling.

"Think of an anchor, anything or anyone that you can hold onto to keep you from losing yourself."

Anna thought of her mother, it wasn't enough. She thought about Kate's friendship, but she was still being pulled away. Was love enough? She thought about Christian and felt her power lose its hold on her. She thought about the first time she saw him in his office and how he pulled her up easily, the time in hardware store and the first time they made love. She remembered the last time they made love after they had switched back and the last thing she said to him before she left.

 _Come back, said Christian._

 _Of course I will…_

"I accept," said Anna.

A large burst of light pushed out of her body for an instant and she slowly floated toward the ground. Her eyes returned to normal and she almost fall forward. Franklin appeared in front of her and caught her.

"You lied to me," said Anna.

"Parents lie," said Franklin. "I knew you could do it."

Anna lightly hit her dad on the arm to show her disagreement. He rubbed the top of her head and kissed her hair. He didn't know what he would do if he had to take her life. He knew she would prefer to die then to become a monster. Anna strength returned to her and she stood up and took a step back from her father.

"Don't ever lie to me again."

Franklin had never been afraid of anyone before, until he realized that he might lose his daughter.

"I understand."

"Good, now what else do I need to know."

 **Thanks for reading! Anna is now officially a fully connected Fae hybrid. I don't even know what that means yet, but I am going to have fun writing her story. Christian is still doing the best he can without Anna. Christian doesn't plan to ever accept Corin's offer to become a prince, but it will be a form of contention between them for a long time. Will Christian's decision ever change?**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six

For the first time in a while, Anna felt complete. She also felt like she had a living nuclear power plant inside of her, but at least now she knew that was normal. The space was now eerily quiet; she could sense her father's powers. He was holding them there and shielding them at the same time. If Anna wanted to, she could bring them back to Christian's apartment, but that they weren't done yet.

"I know how you did this," said Anna.

"Good, the more you can sense about another's abilities, the better you will be able to combat them, if needed," said Franklin.

Anna nodded her head. If a Fae every attacked her, she would at least see it coming. Was that a good thing? She didn't want to think about it.

"Now, I want you to take us somewhere secluded and open. I warn you, once we arrive there, your extra senses may overwhelm you, but I'll help you focus them."

"Of course; there's always something. So how do I do this?"

Franklin smiled.

"The key to your power is focus and desire. Think about what you want and make it happen. If you waver in your desire, it won't happen or you'll end up doing something unintended."

Anna exhaled.

"Okay, I'm ready. Are you ready?"

Franklin chuckled. She was so cute.

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Alright."

Her eyes turned white as she thought about where she wanted to go and imagined them both being there. She closed her eyes and reached toward the place in her mind. She felt a cool breeze on her face. It wasn't like the wind that surrounded her when she used her abilities, this felt different. As she opened her eyes, the white faded from them. Franklin stood beside her and smiled. She did it. Traveling was one of the hardest things to accomplish, but she did it on her first try. She was nearly limitless.

"I did it," she said with a wistful laugh.

"Yes, you did. You're quite powerful," he said.

Anna looked around the forest area. From the looks of it, they were deep in the forest. She doubted anyone would see them here. Suddenly, the half darkened sky looked as bright as the sun. She heard nearly every animal in the forest and felt the ground shift as grass began to sprout from the dirt. She covered her ears and knelt on the ground.

"It's too much, dad, make it stop."

"You can shut this out, just focus on what you want to see and hear."

"I can't, it's too much."

"Then destroy it."

"What?"

"Those are your only options."

Franklin knew she wouldn't choose to destroy the land and creatures around her, but he had to remind her of what she was capable of. She always had that option and she needed to be aware of it at all times. If not, there would be terrible consequences. Anna closed her eyes for a moment and willed herself to focus on just the area near her. She lowered her hands from her ears. She could still sense more than she should, but she wasn't as overwhelmed as she was before. She looked up at her dad incredulously.

"Destruction is never going to be an option for me."

"I know, but it doesn't change the fact that if you are not careful, it will happen."

Anna almost cried, but she quickly straightened her posture and returned to the task at hand. She had to get back to her life and back to her man. Christian was more sensitive than usual and she didn't have to use her new abilities to know that Christian was on edge. She knew that she was partly to blame for his uneasiness. She left him after he thought they would be together forever. She knew he would trust her again, the fact that he took her back after everything proved it.

Christian did not need this right now. He smelled Alexa near the elevator to his apartment before Taylor turned toward the elevator. Taylor looked back at Christian apologetically, Christian arched his eyes brow. Taylor had nothing to do with this. If that was the case, she would have gone directly to Taylor's room. If Christian gambled, he would bet a million dollars that Alexa was put back on guard duty. Well, Christian was not going to let her near his apartment. If Alexa saw Anna appear out of thin air with an actual Fae, it would be chaos. Christian needed a distraction. He looked at Taylor again. Christian felt bad for what he was going to ask Taylor to do. Christian leaned toward Taylor's ear. Alexa wasn't allowed to ease drop on Royals private conversations, Christian hoped that was true for him as well.

"I'm not going to let her upstairs. Anna should be back soon. Can you handle her for tonight?"

Christian saw Taylor's back stiffen.

"This is not an order, but I really need your help. If you uncomfortable…"

"I'll do it," Taylor interrupted.

"Are you sure?"

Taylor smiled. It would be fun to get under Alexa's skin for a while. Nothing will happen unless Alexa wants it to, but she will not enter Christian's apartment tonight.

"Positive."

"Thank you."

Taylor stepped out of the car and opened Christian's door. Alexa knelt on the wall beside the elevator door. She wore a silver dress, a white jacket and white cargo boots. She jumped off the wall and lowered her eyes for a moment when Christian stood in front of her.

"Why are you here, Alexa," asked Christian?

"I'm here on Corin's orders, sir," said Alexa.

They had done this song and dance before. Christian knew the deal. If he ordered Alexa away, Corin would see her as unfit for service and have her killed. Christian and Sierra were the only two wolves in Corin's pack that were off limits and Christian knew that. Christian clenched his jaw. He knew he had to accept her as his enforcer again or Corin may execute her. He just needed her to stay out of his way for one night.

"I accept," said Christian.

Alexa shoulders relaxed. She knew she and Christian were not on the best of terms. After she left, Christian didn't expect to see her again. She didn't want to be here either. She hated being compromised and she was more loyal to Christian than his father.

"Thank you," said Alexa.

"I need a favor," said Christian.

Alexa tilted her head to the side and waited for Christian to speak. She knew she wouldn't like what he was about to ask her, but she would agree to it if she could.

"I need some privacy tonight. You can stay with Taylor like before or I can get you a room. I just need time with Anna alone."

Alexa looked at Christian. She wasn't allowed to read him, but her own natural senses could tell he was hiding something. He was also desperate.

"Alright, but I have to be by your side tomorrow morning."

"I can accept that. I'll see you then."

Christian pressed the button for the elevator and didn't give Alexa a backward glance. Alexa smiled. She had never seen Christian so out of sorts like this. He covered it well, but anyone who knew him, knew he was a bit off at the moment. Taylor parked the car in front of Alexa and honked the horn. She scowled at him. He knew the horn would hurt her ears since he was so close to her.

"So, you need a place to stay," asked Taylor?

Alexa didn't answer him as she walked to the passenger side door and opened it. She sat down in car and looked straight ahead. When he didn't drive the car, she looked at him.

"Are you going to drive," she asked?

"Seatbelt," he said.

Alexa growled and put on her seat belt. Taylor held back his smile. Even though she would most likely survive a car crash, they still needed to keep up appearances.

"Thank you."

Alexa wanted to throttle him, but he was driving. She just might do it once they were upstairs in his room. She thought about being in his room again. Would she really be that tempted? He asked her if she'd eaten. _Damn_ , she thought. If he cooked her dinner, she might lose all of her restraint.

"I can make something," he said.

Alexa rolled her eyes. Yeah, she's going to sleep with him. It might not be tonight, but soon.

Anna looked down at the grass below her. Her father wanted her to practice her powers by manipulating the area around them. She focused on making three white roses sprout from the ground. Her eyes flashed white for a moment and three white roses grew in front of her. She waved her hand over them and changed the rose petals' to blue and purple. Her eyes widened. When she reached for one, it grew larger; it was now as tall as her. Anna covered her mouth and looked at her dad.

"It's alright," he said.

She placed her hand over the rose and made a pushing down motion. The rose shrunk down to the size it was before. She didn't want to accidently do something else unintentionally again.

"Why did it do that," asked Anna?

"Your desire for what you wanted wasn't focused so your powers interpreted what you wanted and the rose grew towards you."

"So my powers are like a computer. I have to be specific about what I want?"

"Yes, that's a good way to think about it."

She smiled. She couldn't wait to finish training so she could see Christian again and spend some time with her father. She had so many questions to ask him. Like how he found her mother? Was it a bond, like with werewolves?

Franklin could tell her mind was somewhere else. She was progressing faster than he anticipated. Their time together would be shorter than he expected. He asked her to create a few more items to make sure she had a full grasp of that ability. He later taught her how to shield herself and objects, she mastered that task easily as well. He wanted to make sure she knew how to protect herself just in case Corin stepped out of line.

Now that Anna would be able to take care of herself, Franklin would not have to intervene with her and Corin. Corin was a very powerful alpha with many territories under his domain. If he were prematurely killed without a successor, the lower ranked packs would go to war to take what they could from Corin's region. Corin had to remain alive until Christian accepted his position as Corin's successor, but that was for Anna and Christian to deal with. It may take decades for Christian to finally accept his place among the pack.

"You're doing very well, Anna, we should return for now. You'll have just a few more things to learn."

"Like what?"

It amazed him that she could still remain in awe after everything she had seen herself do today. He hoped she never lost that sense of wonder. The Fae took so much for granted; it was how some of them turned cold.

"We'll go over shapeshifting and mortal manipulation next. Do you think Christian would like to volunteer for it?"

Anna looked at her father in disbelief. Was he joking? Did he actually think that it would be okay for them to use Christian as a test dummy?

"No," she said.

Franklin obviously upset her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I just thought that Christian would be a great subject since he already knows about you. If not, we'll have to permanently wipe someone's memory."

Anna sighed. Well, she didn't want to wipe a person's memory.

"I'll talk to him when we get back, but if he says no. Then its no."

Franklin raised his hands in surrender and agreement.

"Agreed."

 **Thanks for reading! Anna is easily coming into her own with her abilities. The only thing she'll be worried about is maintaining control of her powers so she doesn't accidently hurt anyone. Alexa is back in the picture, Christian plans to do his best to keep Alexa from finding out more about Anna's abilities.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty Seven

Christian stood by his large apartment window and stared out into city-lit skyline. There were still a number of cars on the road filled with young people going out for the night. He only went out to such events for business purposes. As a young man, his werewolf side was twice as wild as it was now. It was easier to either tie himself up or date a discrete woman that was willing to sign an non-disclosure agreement. He never thought love was a real option. As a hybrid, he thought he may never receive the call to be mated to someone; then it happened.  
He closed his eyes, his mind tried to remind his heart that Anna would never leave him again, but his heart was still weary.

"Anna, please come home," he said to himself.

In that same instant, he smelled her. Was he mistaken? He quickly turned around and saw Anna walk toward him and hug him. He smiled and hugged her tight. She didn't groan as usual. He pulled back slightly and looked into her eyes. They looked the same, but he could tell something was different.

"What is it," asked Anna?

"Nothing, I'm glad you're back. Have you done everything you needed to do?"

"The hard part is over," said Franklin.

Christian looked over at the Fae and did his best to look neutral. Franklin had kept his word and Christian respected him for that.

"Thank you," said Christian.

Franklin bowed his head slightly and looked back up at Christian.

"I am different Christian, but it's still me," said Anna. "Can I kiss you?"

Christian looked back at Anna. Why did she feel the need to ask for permission?

"Of course, you don't have to ask that," said Christian.

Anna bit her lip before she kissed Christian. Franklin looked away to give them some privacy. They both closed their eyes and focused on every sensation they could get from each other. Christian could sense how powerful she was. It was almost as if some of her energy flowed from her lips to his. She pulled away first. Christian felt a little dazed as he looked down at her.

"Wow," he said.

"You can look now, dad," said Anna.

Franklin looked back at them. Anna stepped out of Christian's arms.

"I still have a few things to learn."

Christian's heart jumped, was she leaving again so soon? Anna sensed his stress and placed her hand on his forearm to comfort him.

"It's not what you think."

"What else to do you have to do?"

"It's a little complicated, but the good news is, it can be done here…"

Christian tilted his head to the side. Something didn't sound right. Why was Anna so forthcoming with all of this information? It was not as if he was involved in any of…Christian realized what was happening. Anna wanted him to be a part of her training somehow. Anna saw the realization in Christian's eyes.

"I need to learn how to use my abilities on people, so I don't use them…"

"Oh."

Anna could tell Christian was a bit confused and bewildered by her subtle request. She wouldn't force him into anything and they would just need to figure something else out if he said no. Christian's face slowly returned to his confident demeanor.

"What do you need to do?"

"Are you sure?"

"Excellent," said Franklin.

"Dad, let me handle this please."

"Of course."

Franklin sheepishly stood in place and allowed his daughter to speak with Christian.

Anna told Christian what she needed to learn. She needed to learn how to shapeshift and influence people. Christian nodded his head. Anna didn't sense any fear from him, he was resolute. He wasn't going to change his mind. Anna said that she would need to practice erasing his memory, but she would give it back. Christian arched an eyebrow and placed his hands into his pockets.

"Well, as long as you give it back," said Christian.

"Of course."

Anna turned to face her dad.

"Okay, we're ready."

Franklin walked up to Christian and Anna. Christian posture became rigid. It was instinctual for him to see the Fae as dangerous. Anna rubbed Christian's back. His love for her overrode his instincts and he immediately calmed down.

"I mean you no harm," said Franklin.

"I know," said Christian.

"Shall we begin," asked Franklin?

"Yes," said Anna.

"I'm ready," said Christian.

"Can you step away from Anna please?"

Christian took a few steps back. When she saw him standing alone, he looked so vulnerable. She hoped she didn't hurt him, she'd never forgive herself. Christian smiled at her again; he had complete faith in her. It gave her the confidence boost she needed.

"First thing is first, Anna can you shield us from the outside?"

Anna raised her hand toward large window; her eyes turned white and the window changed into liquid goo that was hard to see through. Christian looked back at the window and did his best to remain casual about what he saw. He didn't want to make Anna nervous about her abilities.

"Neat," he said.

Anna's eyes returned to normal.

Franklin planned to ease Christian into his part in all of this. He asked Anna to make a few of the furniture items disappear and reappear. The hardest thing for her to accomplish was removing all of the kitchen appliances at once and bringing them back. Christian could have sworn there was a bowl of apples on the kitchen counter, but he couldn't say for sure. Then the bowl appeared later and he didn't know if he should be happy about it or not. Anna made herself disappear, Christian couldn't even smell her. That made him a little nervous. No wonder the Fae were feared, they were nearly impossible to detect. Franklin asked her to reappear. Anna appeared. Christian jumped.

"Sorry," she said.

"Its fine," said Christian.

Franklin asked Anna to shapeshift.

"It what," she asked?

Franklin looked at Christian.

"Into him," said Franklin.

Anna and Franklin looked at Christian.

"Honestly, after the body swap, that doesn't sound as crazy as you would think."

Christian watched Franklin talk to Anna. He was a calm, but firm teacher. Not unlike a martial arts master with his student. Anna looked at Christian like she was trying to memorize him down to his bone structure. Franklin told her to use her to desire and focus to create an image of Christian in her mind. She closed her eyes and shifted instantly, she even wore the same clothes he had on. She covered her mouth and laughed. He didn't know what to say.

"I did it," said Anna with Christian's voice.

"Yes, you did," said Christian. _Please change back you're freaking me out_ , he thought.

Franklin asked her to change back, she shifted easily back to herself. He asked her to change into someone else she knew just to make sure she understood how to do it. She changed into Taylor and changed back.

"Very good, now let's work with Christian."

Christian nodded his head and reminded himself that he loved Anna and he would do anything to support her.

"Okay," said Christian.

Franklin asked Anna to do several things to him. She took away his voice and forced him to sit down in a chair. She made him look like her mother; it was so interesting to see Grace arch her eyebrow with disapproval. Anna doubted Grace would ever give anyone such a hard look. She changed him back and he folded his arms.

"You couldn't change me into someone with a penis?"

Anna held back her laugh.

"The only other person I could think about was your father so…"

"Good choice."

"Now this part will be uncomfortable, but we will make sure to bring your memories back," said Franklin.

Anna and Christian looked at each other. Christian could see her confidence waning. He had to reassure her. He winked at her and smiled.

"I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't believe you could do this. I'm ready."

Anna exhaled.

"How much," asked Anna?

"Just go back to before he saw you come back, that should be enough. Just remember to focus on the time you want to erase in the future."

Anna's eyes flashed white for a moment. Christian blinked and looked at Anna. He rushed toward her and hugged her.

"Anna, you're back. I didn't know how long it would take for you to return."

He pulled away from her to look at her.

"What is it, is something wrong," asked Christian?

"Christian, I came here hours ago," she said.

"You did?"

Anna couldn't take it anymore. It hurt her to see him so confused and vulnerable. She gently touched the side of his face; her eyes flashed white for a moment. Tears welled up in her eyes. Christian looked down at her.

"Are you okay? It's alright, I allowed it, remember?"

Anna shook her head. This wasn't fun anymore. She didn't want to be capable of hurting and manipulating people. Franklin took a few steps toward her and stopped. Christian was already comforting her.

"Anna, it's better to be aware of what you can do. If I hadn't showed you this, you might have done it unintentionally. Now, you can control it."

Christian remained silent. Franklin was right, but his woman was still in pain. When will they be able to go back to their lives? He lived as normal as he could as a werewolf and Anna should be able to do the same thing. It just took time. Anna pulled back from Christian and looked at her father.

"Are we done," she asked?

"I think so; I have taught all I could teach you. Do you have any questions for me?"

"No, I don't think so. You act as if you going away soon."

Christian looked into Franklin's eyes. How could the wolf already know? There was no judgement from the young wolf, only pity. Christian knew Anna would be heartbroken, but he also knew that Franklin could not stay here long. There was a war Franklin needed to fight.

"Christian, may I have a moment with my daughter, please."

Christian didn't argue.

"I'll be down the hall."

Anna watched Christian walk away and looked back at her father. She never thought Christian would listen to anything Franklin had to say.

"What is it," she asked?

Franklin walked up to his precious daughter and stood in front of her. He hugged her close and branded his time together with her in his memories. He pulled away and looked at her.

"I am so glad I was able to see you again. You have become a remarkable young woman and a powerful Fae. You will surpass me in every way and you have a good life here in this realm."

Anna didn't want to believe it. How could her father leave her so soon? Was this all he wanted; just to make sure she could control her powers and leave. Was he just being responsible for his mistake? Was she nothing more than a project to him?

"That's not true, I love you. I only see you as my daughter."

She stepped away from him.

"You read my mind without permission?"

"I'm sorry, your feelings were so strong; I couldn't help but sense them."

"If you have to go then go..."

"Anna, I don't want to leave like this…"

"I said go!"

Anna cracked the wall behind Franklin which showed her restraint. Cracking the wall was no accident. It was good to see that she wouldn't lose total control of her powers in a fit of rage. He looked at her with pleading eyes. He didn't want her to resent him. Forever was a long time to hate someone.

"Anna, I'm doing my best, it is all I can do."

Anna slammed her eyes shut and held her head. She knew this wasn't her. Her impatience was coming from her Fae side. Still, how could she say goodbye so soon? Christian walked back into the living room and saw the wall. He looked at Franklin and Anna. Was Anna, alright?

 **Thanks for reading! Christian is one of the most supportive boyfriends I know. Who would be okay with their woman erasing their memory? Now Anna has a new obstacle, she has to let her father go and it she's not ready for him to leave her yet.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty Eight

Christian heard Anna yell and something crack in the living room. He rushed back toward the living room and stood at the end of the hallway. He didn't want to excite her further. She wasn't taking the news of her father leaving well. Without looking at Christian, Franklin raised his hand to signal for Christian to remain still. Anna's power radiated like a tidal wave toward Franklin and Christian would be caught in the cross fire.

"Anna, you're not this person," said Franklin. "I know you're upset, but you don't want to destroy your lover's apartment."

Anna's heavy breathing and clenched fist showed that she was trying to regain control of her powers. The shame of what she had done was slowly replacing her anger. Anna covered her mouth and knelt down on the floor. It was so easy for her to do what she did. Christian looked at Franklin to see if he could go to her now. Franklin nodded his head. Christian knelt down beside her and wrapped his arm around her.

"Are you alright," asked Christian?

Anna nodded her head. She looked at the cracked wall; her eyes flashed white for a moment and the wall was repaired as if nothing had happened. Franklin looked back at the wall. If she didn't hate him right now, he would have given her a compliment. How was he going to make her understand? He had to leave to protect her and everything she cared about. Christian helped Anna up and they walked to the couch to sit down. Christian looked up at Franklin without disdain, only need. Christian needed Franklin to figure out how to fix this fast.

Franklin looked at his daughter and waited a few more seconds to speak. He sensed her calming down and he didn't want to disrupt it. If he spoke too soon, he may set her off again. Franklin took a step toward her. When Anna didn't react negatively to his movement, he continued toward her and stood in front of her. Anna looked up at him with a crestfallen expression.

"So that's it," she asked?

"For now, yes, I'm so sorry, Anna," said Franklin. "This war will end someday."

Anna looked down toward the floor and smiled. They both knew an immortal battle between powerful warriors could last forever. This was so unfair. Her father was back in her life, but now she was going to lose him again. She didn't expect him to stay forever, but she thought they would have at least a few more days together. Anna looked over at Christian; his touch was so comforting.

"Can you at least stay for one day? I have so many things I want to say."

Franklin saw his child pleading with her eyes. He couldn't deny her anything. Thankfully, she didn't plan to exploit her power over him. Franklin turned away from them and waved his hand. A small stream of water hovered between the ceiling and floor. Christian was in awe. Anna watched the stream closely. It was a glimpsed of the other realm. She focused on what she saw there and branded it to her memory. Franklin closed his eyes and searched for any distress. Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. His followers could handle themselves for the time being. He still needed to return as soon as possible. Anna looked away just before Franklin made the stream disappear and turned to face them. Franklin didn't realize what he had done. Now Anna could visualize where she needed to go and possibly travel to the other realm. It would take some time for her to be successful at it, but now Anna knew where to find her father. Franklin looked at Anna.

"I can stay the night, dinner perhaps. If you would like we could slow down time to make it last longer; unfortunately, I can't give you another day."

Anna exhaled and smiled up at him.

"I understand. Let's eat here then, the more time the better. Is that alright, Christian?"

Christian looked at Anna.

"Of course, I consider this place ours."

Anna gave Christian a long kiss on the lips. Franklin looked away; he was clearly uncomfortable with the intimate display of affection in front of him.

"Let's do this! Also, I want to slow down time."

"Alright," said Franklin.

Christian eyes widened slightly, but no one noticed him. He was a little unnerved with everything they could do. Now they were going to slow down time? The Fae were truly limitless creatures.

Christian remained quiet for most of the evening. This time was for Anna and Franklin to spend as much time together as possible. They all sat around Christian's dining room table. Franklin asked if they could order loaded cheese steak fries from his old favorite restaurant. Anna wanted to laugh at the excitement in his voice. He was like a child asking Santa what he wanted for Christmas. Christian opened one of his oldest red wines. Anna wasn't too hungry, but she knew she had to order something or else the men would be concerned about her. She ordered a chicken Cesar salad. Christian ordered a half pound cheese burger – carb style; a loaded burger wrapped in lettuce. He was too tired to pretend to order a side. Once the food was delivered, Anna's eyes flashed for a moment; Christian assumed that Anna had just slowed down time. He shook his head as he thought about it.

"What is it hon," she asked?

"Nothing, I'm just amazed by all of this," said Christian.

At first, Anna asked Franklin literally twenty questions. The first few questions were about his life in the other realm and the later questions were about his time on earth with her mother. Christian saw the longing in Franklin's eyes as he talked about Anna's mother. Anna noticed it too.

"Do you still love her," asked Anna?

Franklin made a half smile with sad eyes.

"I'll always love her. I plan to be by her side just before she passes away."

Both Christian and Anna were surprised to hear that. Franklin was going to appear beside Carol and watch her die? Was he going to show himself to her or be invisible? Anna thought about how painful that would be for anyone to see. Her father planned to stand there beside her while being helpless. Franklin looked over at the young couple. Franklin knew Anna wasn't ready to deal with the future loss of Christian. She would be in the same situation someday. Thankfully, Christian's hybrid nature would keep him alive for a long time. Anna had hundreds of years to be with him. Yet, one lifetime was like a blink of an eye. His beloved had less than fifty years left of her natural life.

"How will you know?"

"The Fae may not mate as other creatures do, but we still have a strong connection with our loved ones. I'll know before she knows…"

Franklin eyes became distant. Anna didn't have to use her abilities to know that the thought of losing her mother was torment in itself. Anna changed the subject.

"Do you have any question for me," she asked?

Franklin thought about what he wanted to ask her? He actually had a number of questions. He didn't observe her daily; he mainly kept a read on her energy to make sure she was safe. He missed the little important things in her life. He asked her why she wanted to work in publishing. She smiled as she talked about her love for literature. As a child she fell in love with stories from listening to her mother read her fairytales. As she became older, she would reread fairytales as a child before she discovered literature. As she thought about that time, maybe her love for such fantastical stories came from her trying to connect with her Fae side without even knowing it.

"How interesting, some of those tales were in fact true; the authors just changed some of the details."

"What? Which one?"

Franklin looked over at Christian sheepishly before answering.

"In Little Red Riding Hood, a female werewolf killed the grandmother and put on her clothes to trick the young girl. People assumed it was a male, but it was a blood thirsty she wolf."

Anna looked at Christian for confirmation. Christian shrugged his shoulders.

"I have no idea, but I believe that could've happened," said Christian.

"That's terrible," said Anna.

"I agree. There is good and bad everywhere," said Franklin.

The room fell silent. Anna thought about the people sitting at the table; they were all good people. She was so grateful that she wasn't corrupted by her powers and that her father's blood ran through her. He was a strong, kind and generous man and she loved him for it.

Time may have passed slowly, but their time was still coming to an end. Christian left Franklin and Anna alone again. This time he felt that his apartment would stay intact. He knew they needed to say their last goodbyes in private. Franklin and Anna hugged each other. Anna focused on remembering all she could in this moment. She knew in her heart that she may never see him again or it would be a long time from now. She knew from her own experience with Christian and Corin that having a leader for a father came with a lot of responsibilities. Her father was saving lives and she couldn't put herself before that. Anna pulled away first. Franklin looked down at his baby girl. He knew then that he shouldn't see her again because he might not be able to leave her next time.

"I love you so much," said Franklin. "If I could end this war today, I would."

"I know, just end it as soon as you can."

Franklin kissed the top of Anna's head.

"Good bye, my child."

"Bye, daddy…"

Anna's eyes teared up.

"Close your eyes."

Anna did as she was told and closed her eyes. Within an instant, she knew he was gone. She took a few seconds to open her eyes. She didn't want to deal with reality yet. She slowly opened her eyes and only saw the surrounding furniture in the living room.

"I'm so sorry, Anna," said Christian.

Christian seemed to appear beside her and rubbed her back. Anna wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned into Christian's shoulder. Christian held her close and comforted her as much as he could. She wrapped her arms around him and they stood there in a locked embrace for a few minutes. Nothing needed to be said. They couldn't control what happened. All Anna could do was choose to be grateful for the time she had with her father.

"It's going to be okay," she said.

She truly believed that. She knew that her father wouldn't have left if he didn't think she could handle her new powers.

"Oh, by the way; dad froze you. He told me not to say anything, but I wasn't going to lie to you."

She felt him stiffen.

"What?"

"Don't worry about it; it's fine."

She heard him growl. Of course he would feel violated. Anna explained her father's actions, Christian reluctantly let it pass. There was truly nothing he could do about it now. It did set Franklin back in Christian's mind a little.

"All of this is so crazy," she said.

"I agree," he said.

Anna smiled. She also had something else in mind. She caressed his back and felt his body nearly melt at her touch. She moved her head toward his lips and kissed him. Just like that there was only one thing on both of their minds. She needed to feel something else for a while and Christian was the man to help her.

"I'd like to go to bed now, Christian."

"Lead the way."

Each of their movements was slow and deliberate as they undressed each other. Anna took the lead and began to kiss Christian's muscular chest. She moved one of her hands to his member and massaged it for a brief moment. He groaned and placed her on her back and she easily welcomed it. He held both of her hands at their sides. She pushed back a little to show her new strength. He smiled. He wouldn't have to hold back with her anymore.

"I want you inside me," she said.

Christian snarled and reached for a condom in the dresser next to his bed and quickly sheathed himself. He entered her slowly and the sensation was enough to make her implode. She wanted him badly; she wanted to feel his love and nothing else. Soon his strokes were strong was hard and her body moved from the force of it. Her breath hitched. He pushed deep inside her again and the same sensation of fulfillment and ecstasy created the perfect tension in her pussy. Christian's eyes glowed for a moment. His wolf was so close to the surface, it wanted to take over and fuck her. He pulled up the top half of his body and looked down at her.

Anna gently placed a hand on the side of his face. She nodded her head to let him know it was okay to release his wolf. Christian closed his eyes and jerked slightly. His eyes glowed for a moment. She knew his wolf had taken over.

"An..a…"

She nodded her head and smiled. He kissed her aggressively and pulled her up toward him. It had been so long and she smelled so good. She was already aroused and ready for him. He grabbed her hands and forced them above her head. The look in his eyes was full of lust and need. Christian's penis thrusted hard inside her. He was relentless with his movements. All he needed to feel from her was her affection and her vagina squeezing against his cock. She spread her legs wider to fully receive him.

"This always feels so good."

The wolf smiled and continued his unwavering thrusts. He held her wrists tighter. He needed to dominate her. He started to sense growing warmth from her like before. He was aware of what happened to her now during sex and wasn't afraid. This was his Anna and she would never hurt him. He had to work harder to keep his movements strong as her walls became slick from her womanly pleasure. He snarled and placed his hands on her hips. He wanted full control of his mate. Soon the warmth exploded inside her. He felt something pass through him as she came. He groaned and came shortly after. He lowered his body on top of her; she wrapped her arms around him and rubbed the back of his head. His hair was wet from sweating.

"I'll never stop loving you, Christian."

"Love you…"

Anna smiled. She couldn't stop loving this beautiful man.

 **Thanks for reading! Christmas is next week. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'm going to take a holiday break myself and I'll be back after the first week of January.**

 **Now, the next thing they'll have to deal with is Jack. It's great to read your comments about the Jack scenario. Most of you all want Christian to be the one to take Jack down, but we'll see.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty Nine

Franklin appeared in an abandoned forest to avoid being sensed by another Fae. Only his second in command knew that he had left the realm. Most of his followers saw him as an example and they would not accept that he was not as holy as they imagined in their minds. He smiled when he thought about Anna; at least his precious daughter was safe. He closed his eyes to shed away the joy and peace he had experienced as a father; he needed to prepare himself to lead his people again. When he opened his eyes, they turned white for a moment, he was now a leader again; disciplined, cold and fierce.

His second, Malko, stood alone at the front of the base. When Franklin appeared in front of Malko, his second knelt on one knee to great his master.

"Master, you have returned," said Malko.

"Yes, tell me everything that has happened here," said Franklin.

Anna and Christian were both wide awake as they faced each other with their eyes closed. Both had silently agreed to see who would break first. Anna smiled and Christian opened his eyes.

"I win," he said.

Anna opened one eye first and smiled sheepishly.

Christian chuckled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Anna placed her face in the pillow to illustrate her shame. She felt the bed shift as he moved closer to her. He reminded her that she may be more powerful than him, but he still had more experience pretending to be human. Anna raised her head and looked at him. She didn't plan any of this, but Christian was the perfect man for her. Human or hybrid, he would love and understand her completely.

"Thank you," she said.

Christian made one of the cutest confused faces she had ever seen.

"For what," he asked?

"For loving me no matter what…I don't know what I would have done if you weren't with me during all of this."

He gave her serious look.

"You don't ever have to worry about my love and loyalty to you. You've done so much more for me."

In his mind, she saved him. Deep down he knew he couldn't live alone forever. That's why he needed his playroom. He had become numb. Since he couldn't express himself completely with another woman, he never truly felt satisfied. Revealing himself to a human female wasn't an option for him so he thought he would have to find other ways to stimulate his other side. Anna had surprised him and broke down all of his walls. His wolf had made the right choice and he was better for it.

Her eyes widened and she sat up in the bed. He sat up as well and stared at her.

"What's wrong," he asked?

"We have to get ready for work."

Christian didn't think anything of it. He could work remotely for a few hours and…

"That's right," he said faintly.

She squint her eyes at him and slid off the bed. She slid a little too far and fell right on her butt. Christian scooted to her side of the bed and looked down at her with his head turned to the side and his hand placed on the side of his face. She almost saw a faint smile.

"Don't say a word."

He raised his hands in surrender.

"I wasn't going to say anything."

He was happy to know that some things hadn't changed yet. She covered herself in a sheet and walked to his closet. Christian had a number of clothes for her after the body swap incident. She would settle for the outfits he had for now. She planned to wear attractive fitting dresses again soon. As he heard her in the shower, he decided to leave her alone. If he stepped one foot in his bathroom, she was sure to be late and he didn't want her to be upset with him. He used the guest bathroom instead and they both met in back in his closet. She was already dressed in a red dress suit and the black pumps she came in with when she sensed he was in trouble. She looked him up and down. His glistening lean muscles were mesmerizing to look at. She almost wanted to rip off his towel. She cleared her throat and let her hand slightly glide past his muscular arms as she walked out of the closet. He turned around to face her.

"Can I have Traylor drive me to work now, I don't want to be late," she asked?

"Of course."

"I also want to stay at my place tonight."

"Why?"

She fought the urge to shake her head. They were only staying together because they were in each other's bodies. She still needed to have her own space for now. She also missed her friend. He could handle a few days apart. He looked frustrated, but she knew he was disappointed. She walked up to him and held his hand.

"We can stay together on the weekends, but I have my own apartment."

"I can pay the rent and you can stay here."

She looked down and bit her lip.

"Christian, don't make this sound worse than it is. I'll see you during the week. I just can't stay here indefinitely; at least not right now."

He looked down at her hand. Her touch was so gentle and sensual at the same time.

"Alright, if that's want you want."

He looked back up at her. She made a light smile.

"Yes, it's what I want."

She raised her head, gave him a quick kiss on the lips and walked out of the room. He inhaled her sent one last time before getting dressed. He wouldn't pressure her to stay with him, but he planned to discuss her living arrangements again at another time.

Anna rushed through the office door and slowed her steps when she reached her desk. She tried to be as quiet as she could as she took off her jacket and placed it on the backseat and placed her purse in the bottom drawer. She sat down and looked over at Hannah and gave her sheepish smile. Hannah gave her an 'it's okay' look. Anna relaxed a little and hoped that was true. Anna used her powers to finish the manuscript Jack asked her to read. She didn't want to use her powers in such a way, but she was desperate. Next time she would do it the right way. She opened her computer to type up a quick summary of the manuscript. Unfortunately, she could not recommend the work. It didn't grab her, but the author may have success at another publishing firm.

Jack Hyde walked in and Anna immediately sensed what he was. She stopped typing in the middle of her sentence for a moment then continued typing. She was more surprised than scared. Of course there could be other werewolves working in the human world, but she thought most of the wolves preferred to live in a pack. She exhaled and focused on not reading him. She would not intentionally invade another person's privacy. Jack had a smile on his face, but as usual the smile didn't meet his eyes.

"Good morning Anna, Hannah," said Jack.

"Good morning," Anna and Hannah said in unison.

Jack walked up to Anna and leaned over her shoulder. He asked if that was the manuscript summary he wanted from her. She said yes. He politely, but firmly reminded her that it should have been completed before this morning. She apologized and did not make an excuse for her behavior. He was right; it should have been emailed to him first thing this morning.

"It's hard for me to forget things like this, make sure this doesn't happen again."

He walked toward his office and shut the door. Anna and Hannah looked at each other. Hannah gave Anna an apologetic face. Sadly, Anna had gotten on Jack's bad side and when that happened, his assistants would either leave or get fired. Hannah hoped Jack was just having a bad day and not abusing his power again. None of his assistants deserved what happened to them.

Anna continued typing her summary, quickly edited her work and emailed Jack the final draft. She fought back her tears; she knew she had no right to cry. She was more upset with herself than with anyone else. Moments later another feeling started to take over, anger. How dare he speak to her like that? She felt her powers rising. It wanted to teach the dog a lesson. She covered her mouth; she was horrified that she would think about a werewolf in such a way. She focused on what she wanted. Her powers couldn't become out of control if she focused on what she wanted. She said no in her mind and her Fae nature was brought under control.

"Are you alright, Anna," asked Hannah?

Anna looked over at Hannah and smiled.

"I'm fine, it was just a really long weekend, I hate that I look so unprofessional just now."

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

Anna nodded her head. All she could do to make it up to Jack was to never make the same mistake again.

Christian held an impromptu meeting at eleven in the morning. He wanted to remind his management staff that he was strong and in charge. He sensed fear rolling off a few of them. Maybe there was a possible coupe in the works, but he knew that was all done with now. The politics of being a CEO were so daunting and ridiculous at times, but it was necessary to remind people of his position. The suspect managers would not be questioned past this meeting as long as they received his message. Humans were known to do foul things, but they wouldn't dare do something if they knew he wasn't vulnerable. He also knew he needed to be present more and was thankful that his love, Anna, had enough sense to remind him of that.

He asked his assistant schedule a two hour meeting on his shared calendar. He planned to address his mother about what she had done.

"Is there anything anyone wants to bring up now in front of everyone," asked Christian?

He dared someone to raise their hand. He looked around the large conference room and made sure to make contact with everyone in the room. Some of the managers looked down.

"Alright then, let's get to work."

Grace had taken a personal day. She had work three eighteen hour shifts and was offered a day off. She was surprised to smell Christian's scent at the door, but was happy to see him. Her daughter was out and about again so she was all alone at the house. When she opened the door, she had a big smile on her face. It slowly fell away, when she saw that her son did not look happy to see her.

"Is something wrong, son," she asked?

He walked into the house and she shut the door behind him.

"Anna told me what happened; she said you wanted to make sure I knew about the discussion that took place."

Grace now realized the intent of the visit. Grace should have followed her instincts and made Anna wait. Christian felt betrayed.

"Let's sit down," he said.

They walked to the couch and sat down; she felt like a child that was in trouble. Technically, she and Anna had done nothing wrong, but Christian was more sensitive then he let on. He turned to face his mother.

"Why did you feel that you couldn't talk to me with Anna?"

"I didn't think you could handle what I knew. It would have broken my heart if I had anything to do with…"

"With what, mother?"

"I didn't want what I said to be the cause of you leaving Anna."

 **Thanks for reading and welcome back! I hope everyone had a great holiday. I will post the next chapter later tonight or tomorrow morning. I need to edit it first; no one deserves unnecessary nonsense while reading a story, lol.**

 **Christian and Anna are in a good place right now. Unfortunately, they still have a few more trials to face before their happy ending, but they will always be together.**

 **Jack is starting to act up, but I still haven't decided who will be the one to put Jack in his place. It seems that Jack is able to bring out the worse in Anna. Stay tuned!**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Christian didn't understand a word his mother just said to him. Why would he leave Anna after finding out she was a hybrid? It would be beyond hypocritical. He remembered sensing his mother's tension when they met with her. It was just for instant, but he knew his mother was afraid. Would Anna frighten every werewolf she met when they first sensed her? Even his biological father felt uncomfortable around her. He still felt like it was an excuse. His mother should have told him the truth when they were together. The secret meeting, no matter how short it was, was unnecessary drama.

"I just wished you told us then; we never had secrets from each other before. Should I be this angry about this?"

Grace gave Christian a sympathetic look. He never gave her too much trouble. He even helped her keep his brother and sister in line. Even after what happened, he still sought her guidance when he was confused about something.

"You have a right to your feelings, Christian, and you were right to question my actions. I should have trusted you and given you the opportunity to make your own decision. I sometimes forget that you're not that scared little boy anymore."

Grace lowered her head and fought back her tears. Out of all of her children, she never wanted to disappoint Christian. He had already gone through so much with his real mother. She wanted to show him that there were good people in the world and he deserved every chance at happiness like everyone else. After the king returned to Christian's life, she had been the cause of so much pain and she hated herself for it. She felt her son's hand on her shoulder. She took a moment to regain her composure, she knew it would break his heart to see her cry and he didn't deserve to feel that way.

"I'm fine; I should take my punishment like an adult."

She looked up at him gave him a weary smile. If he needed to hear her say I'm sorry a hundred times, she would do it. She didn't flinch under his stare; maybe he was trying to read her. She didn't mind. Technically, as a royal, he didn't have to ask permission like other werewolves to read a lower ranked wolf.

"Thank you for being honest with me, mother; I was upset that you excluded me from this. Anna's my mate and we don't keep any secrets from each other."

The hardness in Christian's eyes lessened. Grace was hopeful that Christian had forgiven her. He gave her a hug. It completely took her off guard; she hugged him back.

"Please, don't ever break my trust again," he asked?

Grace felt his anger, but she also felt his love. She also sensed the warning in his tone. He would not forgive her so easily next time.

"I won't ever intentionally keep things from you again," she said.

She kissed him on the cheek and they both pulled away from each other at the same time. Christian's kind eyes had returned. She and Anna were the only few people that saw his vulnerability and openness. He looked down at his watch and back at his mother. She thought that was a bit rude, but didn't say anything. He wasn't trying to intentionally dismiss her; he was just a busy young man. He was almost too busy when she thought about it. Maybe when he and Anna are married, he would learn to delegate more and make more time for Anna and the family? Grace was surprised that Christian and Anna weren't at least engaged by this point.

"I still have an hour left, do you mind if I eat here?"

Grace made the widest smile.

"Of course, what would you like?"

Christian returned to his office on time to continue to lead by example. He didn't know what the outcome would have been with his mother, but he could never really be angry with her. When he found out that she knew about Corin and his true linage, he thought his whole life was a lie. He almost believed that Grace was ordered to raise him and that would have nearly broke him. His family was his rock for so long and to know that his father and Grace were in both involved in his abandonment, he would have been changed forever. His mother confessed that she adopted Christian before she knew about his bloodline and Corin summoned her to make sure she would do right by his son. He grimaced in disgust as he thought about his father. Corin only returned to Christian's life when Corin found out that Christian was a powerful alpha that was worthy successor to the throne. He would not be used by a man that only cares about his abilities, if it wasn't for his family, Christian would gladly ignore Corin, but his family was still vulnerable to his father.

Anna walked to the nearest diner and ordered lunch. She bit her lip as she thought about what she discovered. Jack Hyde was a werewolf? Anna wasn't going to lie to Christian; he deserved to know the truth. She just hoped that Christian wouldn't freak out over it. Jack clearly knew how to behave since he had such a long career. All she had to do was try to convince Christian there was nothing to worry about. She took a bite of her Cobb salad and sighed. She knew exactly how this conversation was going to go. They would argue for a few minutes and Anna would have to remind him that she was a grown woman and a hybrid that could handle herself. After he arched his eyebrow for a few seconds and frowned to show his displeasure, he would eventually come around to her side. She'd also close the deal with makeup sex. Yeah, this could work…

Her cell phone vibrated and she picked it up from the table. Kate texted her:

 _I can't wait to see you tonight! We have so much to talk about_ _J_

Anna smiled, if only Kate knew the half of it. Anna debated what she should reveal to Kate. Her father never discussed a 'don't tell' rule for Fae. He did keep his real identity from her mother though. Maybe, it was just a common sense rule that he felt he didn't need to tell her about because she should already know better than to tell her secret to a human. Right then, Anna decided that she wouldn't tell Kate about her Fae side just yet. Anna just accepted it herself. She sad about her decision, but for now, it was for the best. Anna texted Kate:

 _Me too! I told you I would be back, lol._

Kate simply sent Anna a frown face emoji. Anna responded with one word:

 _Ouch._

Kate responded back with a wink and kiss face emoji.

Anna simply shook her head and gave one last response.

 _Get back to work, I'll see you tonight. I'll even cook._

Kate instantly sent a smiley face emoji.

Anna went back to eating her food and sensed Jack walking toward the diner. She never thought he ate here. Usually, she ordered his food for him. Maybe he was walking to the café that was just past this place. Nope, he was coming into the diner and he walked right toward her booth. He smiled. She almost wanted to tilt her to the side to show how confused she was by his actions. His mood had changed again. Maybe people could have a half bad day? He stood in front of her and put his hands in his pockets.

"Hi Jack. Do you need something, did I miss your call," she asked as she picked up her cell phone to check her call log.

"No, everything's fine, may I sit with you?"

Anna's eyes widened. His question took her off guard. He chuckled.

"You can say no, Anna."

She shook off the shock in her mind before she spoke. They were in a public place and the question was innocent.

"Sure, I have to be back in twenty minutes, but I don't mind the company."

Jack slid into the booth and stared at her.

"You're with the boss Anna; you don't have to worry about the time."

Anna politely smiled. She wasn't comfortable with anything he just said. She shouldn't have pass for having lunch with her boss. She didn't want to blur the line between her professional and personal life. The waitress that served Anna noticed the handsome man sitting across from her and handed him a menu she picked up at the front of the diner. He thanked her and took the menu. He looked down at the menu and began reading it.

"So what's good here," he asked?

He looked at her salad and lemonade.

"Maybe we like different things," he said.

She looked down at her salad.

"I like burgers every once in a while," she said a little defensively.

He smiled.

"So you like meat then…"

Anna didn't like his tone or the question. Was she reading too much into what he said? She wanted to leave early, but that would show that she was obviously uncomfortable with him. She couldn't show fear and she didn't want to lose her job. As long as he didn't overstep his bounds, she would be fine. He had no idea what she was capable of doing to him. The waitress returned quickly and Jack ordered a medium rare double bacon cheese burger with nothing else. She was surprised by his order. Christian always made sure to order a side to avoid any hint of his true nature. Little things can add up.

"Why the weird look," he asked?

She blinked; her mask of comfort must have slipped.

"It's nothing; I guess I just spaced out a little."

"It happens."

"So Anna, tell me more about yourself, I promise anything said here will not return to the office. This is a safe space."

 _Is it_ , she thought.

"Um, there's nothing really to tell. I just graduated with a B.A. degree in English Literature and now I'm working for you."

"Do you like your job?"

"I love it. It's the best thing that has happened to me."

"Interesting…"

The waitress placed his burger and a bottle of water in front of him on the table and left. Anna waited for him to elaborate on his comment.

"I thought your billionaire boyfriend would have been the best thing that happened to you."

He looked her dead in her eyes as he took a bite of his burger. The look was full of judgment and anger. Anna almost wanted to sew his mouth shut with an inviable thread, but she kept her powers in check. They were just words. Why would Jack be jealous of her boyfriend?

"I don't feel comfortable talking about this."

He placed the burger on his plate, snatched a napkin from the napkin holder on the table and wiped his mouth. She saw him hold back a snarl; he almost lost control of himself.

"You're right, I apologize. Oh miss…"

He waved to the waitress and asked her for the check. He told the waitress that he wanted to pay for both meals. Anna tried to decline, but he wouldn't have it. They both boxed their food to go and walked back to the office together. He walked very close to her. Anyone on the street would have thought they were a couple. She tried to step away, but he would move back toward her. This was getting insane.

 **Thanks reading! Jack is starting to reveal his true nature to Anna. She's only holding back because she doesn't want to totally destroy him…yet. Her conversation with Christian is going to be interesting. I doubt Jack would last the night after Anna tells Christian what happened. See you next week!**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty One

As Anna and Jack walked closer to the office, he placed his hand on her back; she gasped and jumped by his inappropriate touch. He slowly slid his hand toward her lower back and stopped. She was too shocked to react to what had happened. Did he just slide his hand down her back? He opened the door for her like nothing happened. She had a rigid posture when she walked into the office.

"Thank you for letting me join you for lunch, Anna," said Jack.

Hannah glanced over at Anna and Jack and quickly returned her attention back to her computer screen. Anna's heart was pounding as she took each step toward her desk. Jack walked past her and reached his office door. He turned around and smiled at her and that's when she snapped.

"Stop," said Anna.

Everything that was in motion in the room stopped moving. Hannah and Jack both looked like they were paused in a movie. Anna balled her hands into fists to control of her powers. She could sense that she froze the entire building, so she wouldn't be discovered. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. It wasn't working. She wanted to scream. She opened her eyes and they flashed white; the Fae really did have an enormous temper. She opened her eyes and was finally able to calm down. She only knew one thing; Jack had to be straightened out.

"Go," said Anna.

Jack turned toward his door and walked inside of his office. Anna slowly sat down in her chair. Her mind was still reeling over what had happened. Now was not the time or the place; the situation with Jack needed to be handled before the problem spun out of control.

Jack sat back in his chair and put his legs up on the desk as if he had just closed one of the biggest deals of his career. Anna was just the type of woman he wanted to control. Her innocence and fear nearly brought his wolf out, but there was something different about her. What had Christian done to her? Jack's eyes turned dark as he thought about the other wolf. Christian was obviously a beta wolf. When Jack met Christian, Jack thought that Christian would be stronger, but Christian was so unsure of himself. He must have made his millions off of his parents' money. Anna had no one to save her. It was just a matter of time.

The rest of the day was 'normal' if Anna ignored what happened to her earlier. She planned to talk to Christian first, but now that was not an option. Hannah stood to leave and Anna stood as well.

"You're not working late are you," Hannah asked in a worried tone?

Anna noticed Hannah try to glance at Jack's closed office door without being obvious about it.

"No, but I'm right behind you," said Anna. "I just need to have a word with the boss."

Jack sat up in his chair when he heard Anna talk about him. What was she doing? Jack heard Hannah leave and waited for Anna to knock on his door. He was curious to see what she had to say to him. Jack sat up in his chair and waited. He watched the slit light under his room door. When Anna's shadow covered up some of the light under the door, he felt uncomfortable. He jumped when he heard her knock on the door. What was happening? Why was he so afraid? Anna didn't wait to be asked inside, but walked in and stood in front of the door. Jack pushed back in his chair. The door shut by itself and locked.

"Hello, sir," said Anna pleasantly.

Anna let down her shield so Jack could sense her powers, Jack eyes widened and he quickly stood up from his chair. He refused to allow his body to shake with fear, but his wolf was trembling in his mind. It didn't know what stood in front of them, but it wasn't human and it was very powerful. Anna took one step forward and Jack took a step back; he nearly bumped into his book case. He wanted to be as far away from her as possible.

"What are you," he asked?

"That's not your concern, Jack. Sit down."

Jack didn't move.

"I said sit down."

Jack eyed her the entire time as he slowly sat down in his chair. He used his senses to see if he could shift without being detected. She smiled. She knew he wouldn't risk it. Not that it mattered, she had shielded the room, right now it looked like she and Jack were just having a nice normal conversation to anyone outside of his office.

"I'm only going to say this once, sir."

Anna placed both of her hands on the table like she owned the place and allowed her eyes to turn white for a moment.

"Don't you ever touch me or any woman like that again unless you have their permission. Do you understand me?"

Jack was horrified and unable to speak.

Anna slammed the table with her fist and cracked the front of the desk.

"Do you understand me?!"

All he could do was nod his head vigorously.

She titled her head to the side and looked at him. He really had no idea what she was. Good, that would give her an advantage. It also meant that he may be an abandoned wolf like Christian. Unfortunately, he had become a cowardly predator.

"I need you to speak."

"I won't ever touch a woman inappropriately again."

She removed her hands from the table, looked down at the crack she made and restored the table. He was more terrified of the fact that she could repair the table with her powers. He had to find out what she was. The door unlocked, but remained closed. Her entire demeanor changed.

"Is there anything you need me to do for you, tonight, sir?"

He blinked, she had returned to the women he knew. Only he could see in her eyes that her other side was still present. He also didn't sense her powers like before. What creature could hide their abilities like that? She obviously wasn't a werewolf. He cleared his throat and sat up as his confidence returned to him.

"No, that is all for now, I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Anna smirked. She knew she had him where she wanted him. She also didn't want to be treated completely differently; she still had a job to do.

"One more thing..."

He gave her his full attention.

"I don't want this to affect my work; I just wanted to make sure we understood each other."

He self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck.

"Of course, I'm glad to hear that."

He gave a half smile and prayed this woman would leave his office soon.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow."

She walked out of his office with a confident sway and dared him to look at her ass. He didn't give her one glance because he knew better. The door opened by itself, she walked out and the door closed. He lowered his head and steadied his breathing. No one had even made him feel so small. He held back his growl. When, he could no longer sense her, he smiled and laughed.

"Oh, Anna, you officially have all of my attention."

Anna appeared in her apartment, she didn't have the energy to wait for a ride and it saved her money. As long as she was careful and didn't overdo it, she would be fine. She looked around the living room and could tell that Kate was depressed. Empty boxes of cereal littered the living room and kitchen. If Kate had gained a pound, Anna was in for a verbal beating. Anna looked at the slightly messy living room again and smiled. Things were so much simpler before she left here. Now, everything around her seemed like a memory.

Kate walked in talking on her cell phone and shut the door. Kate saw Anna, gave her a hug and continued talking on the phone. Kate kept saying, uh huh and yes, sir to the other person on the phone.

"I will, sir, just email the copy to me tonight and I'll get it done," said Kate. "No, problem, bye."

Kate sighed and threw her cell phone on the couch. Kate looked at Anna and pouted.

"You left me," said Kate weakly.

Anna wasn't buying it. Kate had Elliot to keep her company.

"I was a phone call away."

Kate frowned.

"It's not the same. I missed you. Is Christian going to kidnap you again?"

Anna shook her head.

"No, I told him that we needed to slow down."

Kate smiled.

"But, I may spend the night over at his place on the weekends."

Kate frowned just as quickly.

"I want Fridays."

"What?"

"I want Fridays to be our night."

Anna didn't believe what she was hearing.

"Are you saying that you're not going to want to see Elliot on Fridays?"

Kate took a moment to think about it; Anna patiently waited. Kate said 'yes' very slowly as if she was finalizing her decision as she said the word. Anna held back her laughter; she knew Kate was serious about what she was doing. Kate quickly amended her statement and said that she reserved the right to hang out on Fridays. Anna agreed, she knew Kate would choose sex with Elliot over her and that was fine. Anna did understand where Kate was coming from, between work and their relationships; they really didn't have as much time with each other like in college. Maybe that was just part of life? Kate surprised Anna by hugging her again.

"Oh, okay," said Anna.

"Shut up, I've missed you," said Kate.

Anna sat up in her bed and thought about Christian. She missed him deeply. She almost wanted to take him up on his offer, but Anna and Kate needed each other. Kate may act tough, but she really counts on Anna to be her rock when things get stressful or difficult. Anna bit her lip, she wanted to try something. If Christian didn't like it, she'd stop immediately. She reached for her cell phone and texted Christian:

 _Hi, lover._

She bit her lip again. She almost instantly received a response back.

 _Hi, beautiful._

She texted a response:

 _I want to try something with you, do you mind?_

She waited for a response. She couldn't give too many details over phone, but she was sure he understood that she was talking about using her powers on him.

 _I trust you._

She smiled and texted:

 _Are you in bed?_

He responded:

 _Yes._

She put her cell phone on top of the small dresser drawer beside her. Pushed her body back against the bedpost, closed her eyes and exhaled. She focused on reaching Christian's mind. If she sensed him freak out, she would break the connection immediately.

 _Christian, I'm here, this is what I meant._

 _Oh, I see._

 _Are you okay with this?_

 _I'm fine, as long as you always ask for my permission._

 _Of course. How was your day?_

 _Work is work, I confronted mother today._

 _What? You were still mad at her?_

 _I just didn't like that she intentionally kept what she knew from me._

Anna's eyes remained closed, but she had a slight frown on her face. Grace was adamant about making sure Christian knew about their meeting, but Christian was still upset.

 _Are you still there, Anna?_

 _Yes, sorry, I was thinking._

 _I see. Are you upset that I spoke with my mother about what happened?_

 _It's not my place to say anything about it; I know that you did what was right for you._

Anna could almost see him frowning in her mind.

 _I also have something to tell you._

 _What, Anna?_

Anna took a moment to prepare herself for what she was about to tell Christian. Maybe she should've done this face to face?

 **Thanks for reading! Anna nearly lost control after Jack assaulted her, but she was able to take care of him on her own terms. Or did she? She knows it's going to take everything in her to keep Christian from hunting Jack down and killing Jack himself, but who knows?**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty Two

Anna could sense Christian's restlessness. He was more worried than agitated. He wondered what happened at work. Did Jack do something to her? Christian thought about her powers. Did Anna do something to Jack? She exhaled and told Christian that Jack made inappropriate advances towards her. She heard Christian's wolf growl and Christian's anger. She had to calm Christian down before he left his bed and hunted Jack down.

 _I just wanted to tell you what happened, I already handled Jack._

Anna sensed Christian and his wolf's confusion. What had Anna done? Christian knew she wouldn't kill Jack, but there were other things she could have done to him. Did she get in Jack's head?

 _What did you do?_

 _I showed him my powers and told him to never touch me or any woman again without their permission. The threat was implied, but affective._

If anyone else had done what she did, Christian would've have smiled, but this was Anna. She wasn't the type to threaten another person, even if they deserved it. Her actions reminded him that she had changed forever. His mate no longer needed his protection, only his love and support. Christian still felt like he should have handled Jack himself.

 _Do you think it worked?_

Anna smiled.

 _I pretty sure it did, if not, then…_

 _Then what, Anna?_

Anna sighed. She sincerely hoped the threat worked. She didn't know if she could bring herself to harm anyone. She was also afraid that she might lose control and do more damage than she intended and seriously hurt Jack. She wasn't a killer and she refused to become one.

 _Oh, I forgot to tell you. Jack's a werewolf._

 _What?!_

Anna imagined Christian sitting up in his bed.

 _How?_

 _I have no idea how that works? Can a werewolf bite a human and turn them?_

 _No, we're only born._

 _Well, then I guess he was born that way._

Christian took a moment to calm down. Anna was only the messenger and he was glad that she told him everything she knew. He was amazed that he didn't know Jack was a…Christian thought about their first meeting. He was in Anna's body when they met. Christian knew something was different about Jack, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

 _Christian, please don't do anything. Everything is fine. It's not like I can't protected myself._

 _I know, but I doubt this is over. Even when I was in your body, I remembered the look he had in his eyes. He wanted you Anna and now I know for sure._

Anna knew she had to tread carefully with Christian; she didn't want him to think that she didn't need him anymore because that wasn't true at all. If it wasn't for him, she could have lost herself to her powers and who knew what would have happened? Maybe her father would have returned to Earth to kill her himself. She dismissed the thought. None of that mattered now because she was a good Fae that would protect own. She had to convince Christian that she was strong enough to handle Jack alone.

 _Please trust me, if I need your help, then I'll let you know._

She waited for him to respond. She could sense that he was upset and his wolf didn't like her plan either.

 _Alright Anna, we'll do it your way, but I have one condition._

 _Okay, what is it?_

 _If he tries something like this again, I want us both to be there to handle him._

Anna had no idea why Christian would need to be there, but Anna didn't see anything wrong with his request. It might be better for her to have Christian at her side. His presence would keep her calm. She thought about the anger she felt earlier today. It was so potent; she could see how a Fae could get consumed by their rage. She wouldn't let that happen. She needed to stay in control so she could take care of the people she loved.

 _Alright, deal. I can even teleport you, if you want._

 _Hopefully, that won't be necessary._

Anna smiled. Now they could talk about other things.

Jack drove to his second home to relieve some tension. He would regret the drive back to the city, but it was more important for him to see her tonight. He bought the secluded home years ago and it had served him well. The adjustments he made to the house were never reported so no one would suspect him of anything. He unlocked the door and turned the light on. The first thing he did was walk to the refrigerator; take out a used water bottle filled with blood and drunk the bottle in one swig. He threw the empty bottle in the trash can beside the refrigerator. He heard his prisoner whimper and smiled. She knew he had returned to the house.

He walked to his bedroom and walked up to the wall beside the bed. He moved his hand around the wall and pushed a small part of the wall back and the wall cracked open like a door. The man that built this house was a true genius. Too bad he had to kill him to make sure he never talked. He walked down the small hallway and stopped before he turned the corner. He smelled fear and blood and it intoxicated him.

"I hope I wasn't away too long, did you miss me," he asked?

His victim sat on the cold floor with nothing but a dingy and bloody white bedsheet covering her body. One of her hands was handcuffed to the pipe. She looked like she had been trapped in that room for months. She had two gallons of water and a plate of molded bread to keep her alive. He could tell that she drunk the water, but the bread was barely touched. He knelt down in front of her; she jumped and did her best to push up against the wall.

"Please let me go," she pleaded.

He sneered at her and allowed his eyes to glow. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Not yet; I have a new name for you."

She waited for him to say the name. She hated this game. He used her like a doll for the other women he couldn't have.

"What's my new name?"

"Anna."

The woman looked down, she had been here for months and knew what would happen if she didn't play along. She had to believe that she would get out of this place. She gave a weak smile.

"Hi Jack, I'm Anna," she said; her real name was Michelle.

Jack smiled at her and touched the side of her face. She didn't flinch; she only stared at him with horror filled eyes. His eyes glowed again and his fangs extended. She turned her head to the side and closed her eyes. He smiled, returned back to his human form and laughed.

"This is going to be fun."

He stood, took off his clothes and shifted into a large brown wolf. He licked his lips and growled at her as he looked at the bite and claw marks he had already given her. She screamed before he even touched her and he enjoyed every minute of her fear.

Jack left the woman alone in the dark. Since she didn't eat her food, she would have to deal with what she had. He didn't plan to give her anything else until she ate the food that was given to her. He also decided that the Anna in his basement wasn't enough. He was smart enough to never take the actual women he wanted, but Anna was different, she had challenged him. He would figure out his alibi later, but Anna needed to be taught a lesson.

He walked up to his bedroom. He would stay here tonight so she could hear and sense everything from his Anna. Then he would find out who the real Anna was so he could defeat her.

Anna typed away on her computer and was a little surprised to find out that Jack decided to work remotely for the next few days. Had she scared him that bad? He emailed her and stated that he would not be in the office for the rest of the week, maybe longer. He asked that she reschedule all of his meetings and keep him updated on any important mail. What was going on? She wondered if anyone knew that she was the last person seen with Jack. She glanced at Hannah. Hannah didn't seem bothered by Jack's absence at all. Maybe this was normal for him and she was overacting?

She worked on updating his schedule and made sure to keep a look out for any manuscripts that were worthy of the firm. She couldn't say she was worried about him; frankly, she was glad to have some space from him.

Jack sat at a small table in a bookstore known for its supernatural subject manner. It was a place mostly for tourists and bored teenagers, but he wanted to give it a try. The books he reviewed on werewolves are almost spot on given a few misunderstandings here and there. Not that he knew much about it. He never had a pack and his first shift terrified him. He had been all on his own and if he didn't find an outlet, he would have lost him mind. He smirked at the thought; maybe he already has lost his mind.

He stood up and walked to another section. He focused on creatures with powers and found two books that discussed their powers and how to defeat them. If the books about the wolves rang true, then these books should ring true as well. He'd find some way to make sure, but this was his only resource. Soon he would do to Anna what she did to him.

Anna closed her eyes and asked Christian for permission to talk to him in his mind again. Christian allowed it. He was desperate to have any contact he could with her. She bit her lip; she wanted to try something else tonight.

 _Christian._

 _Yes, Anna?_

 _Would you mind if I tried something. It's not anything crazy._

 _You mean, not crazier than this?_

Anna covered her mouth to hold back her laugh.

 _Yes, that's what I mean._

 _Alright, what did you have in mind?_

She closed her eyes and focused on what she wanted. She was now completely connected to him.

 _What's happening?_

 _We're now physically connected._

He sat back and relaxed. He didn't mind seeing where this was going. He knew it would be pure pleasure.

 _Can you feel that?_

It felt like a hand was rubbing his chest. He closed his eyes and groaned.

 _Yes._

 _I'm going to try something else now._

Christian felt a light pressure over his loins; it was almost as if she was straddled on top of him. His member grew in anticipation. Were they really going to have sex like this? He wondered if he could affect her with his thoughts as well. He heard her gasp; he imagined caressing her breast from behind and kissing her neck. His eyes remained closed as he smiled.

 _Do you want to keep going_ , she asked?

 _Yeah, let's see where this goes_ , he said.

They spent the rest of the night making love to each other. Anna did her best not to wake Kate up with her moans, but Christian touch was so good. She lay on her stomach when she felt him want to move her in that position. She felt him enter and it felt like the bed rocked with his movements. Soon she was able to feel his pleasure and her pleasure at the same time. He kept his eyes closed as he fucked her. The sensation was just like the real thing and he would take what he could get at the moment. He could never get enough of this woman.

Anna heard Kate knock on the door. Anna quickly severed the connection; she would text Christian the details later. She wanted to finish what they started.

 **Thanks for reading! I wanted to end this chapter on a light note with Anna and Christian together. Jack has no idea that he's tying his own noose. Anna's powers are beyond his imagination and only a Fae can kill another Fae. I doubt that was in his little books.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty Three

Christian stood in front of his large closet mirror and focused on straightening his tie. A smile spread across his face as he thinks about the mental sex they had. It was so visceral. He felt her touch and emotions equally and she wanted him badly. Her new powers made this weekend dating arrangement bearable, but he still felt it was unnecessary. It may be unspoken, but they were meant to be together and he planned to marry her someday. He knew she would think it was too soon for marriage, that was why he planned to ask her if they could live together first. Anna seemed determined to pretend to be single. He just wanted to see Anna every morning, was that too much to ask? He put on his designer navy blue suit jacket and made sure everything on him was presentable. That's when he heard her.

 _Christian…_

He straightened his posture.

 _Anna?_

 _Yes, is this okay? I know that I usually contact you at night._

 _It's fine, but I can't talk at work._

 _Of course._

Silence.

 _Is there something you want to say, Anna?_

 _Yes, I just wanted to say that last night was…amazing and I can't wait to finish what we started._

 _I know, sweetheart. We could meet…_

 _Christian, I can't, Kate actually asked me to go with her tonight._

She heard him growl.

Anna laughed.

 _Don't growl at my friend._

 _I apologize; we can talk tonight like before._

 _Like this?_

 _Yeah, like this. Maybe we can finish what we started._

Anna groaned and Christian's cock became half erect.

Anna smiled.

 _Laters baby, said Christian._

 _See you later, sweetheart, said Anna._

Anna looked at herself in the long vanity mirror she had placed on the door of her closet. She turned side to side and admired her fitted dress and high heels. She couldn't imagine going back to the clothes she once wore. Her Fae side was very proud of her looks and Anna was catching up to her new confidence. However, in certain moments, she was still that same shy college girl that had enough courage to pursue Christian. That Anna was braver than her new self. With her immortality and powers, what did she have to fear? _Losing Christian.._. She shook the thought away. Christian was supernatural like her; she had a few hundred years to be with him. _What about after?_ She nearly growled herself. Why had her mind wondered to such thoughts?

Jack stood in his other home and paced the floor as he read the second book he purchased. Each book discussed supernatural creatures with powers and their weaknesses. Yet, none of the creatures or monsters sounded like they were capable of the power Anna possessed. He was starting to become frustrated. She couldn't be an unknown creature. It was impossible! He closed the book between one of his fingers and held it at his side.

After he first transformed, he ran away from his foster parents for a week to figure out what had happened to him. As a wolf he was drawn to a pack, but his instincts told him to stay clear of them. Since he wasn't aware of their border, he accidently walked too close and was chased away. The fear he felt was overwhelming and when they finally stopped chasing him, he felt so alone. He was forced to return to his human life and slowly the fear turned to anger. He became consumed by self-hatred and decided to let his untamed wolf have its way. As he became older, his animal nature and humanity were blurred and the lost young man afraid of being alone was replaced with a cut throat publisher with a taste for unsuspecting women.

He sighed, opened the book and started reading it again. After a few pages of dribble, he finally saw a drawing of a woman with long wavy hair standing in flowing gown. Her hands were down with her palms up. Her eyes were completely white. He rubbed the picture with his free hand and smiled. When he removed his hand, he read the caption under the picture: Lady Druid.

 _A Lady Druid is one of the most powerful supernatural women in the world. Their power comes from their bloodline. Druids can practice their craft to become powerful, but a Lady Druid is born with their powers and do not require craft magic. The combination or their blood born power and craft magic make them nearly invincible, but like all creatures they have vulnerabilities._

Jack smiled, finally, this may be the news he needs to capture Anna.

 _A Lady Druid can be severely weakened or killed by a copper blade that is touched by her lover's skin*._

Jack turned to the back of book to look up the asterisk in the index. The following information was provided:

 _If a Lady Druid does not have a lover, then she cannot be defeated. Many Lady Druids are consumed by their own powers and do not desire a companion and often remain invincible._

Jack sighed and returned back to the place previous passage was reading. It was obvious, Anna was still vulnerable. She loved Christian. Now he just needed to find a copper blade and get Christian to touch it. Jack knew the second part of his plan wasn't going to be easy, but he would figure out something.

Christian typed vigorously at his computer. He was doing his best to relieve his sexual tension through reviewing the financial reports from his managing staff. At this rate, he'll finish all of his work early and have nothing to do, but think about Anna. He was now scrolling through his second to last report, when he saw something interesting. The financial report numbers jumped higher than projected. He clicked on the folder icon on his computer and pulled up the last quarterly report. He recently invested in a business app company that had steady growth, now it looked as if the subscriptions had increased exponentially. He wasn't as familiar with this venture so maybe this was normal. Still he planned to have his manager to review the numbers again. Christian smelled Elliot's scent and looked up from his computer to see Elliot standing right in front the office door. Christian arched his eyebrow and gave Elliot a 'what are you doing here look.' Elliot was used to Christian's stern looks so it didn't sway him at all.

"Hi, Christian," said Elliot.

"Hello, Elliot," said Christian. "Is everything alright?"

"I called your assistant earlier; she said you usually take lunch between twelve and two. I was wondering if I can take you out to lunch today and talk."

Christian sat back in his chair and stared at Elliot. What was happening? Christian could tell Elliot really needed to talk; especially since Elliot took such links to make sure he'd reached Christian. Christian almost forgot about the report.

"Sure, I can take an hour. One second, I need to write something down."

Christian ripped off a green Post It from his desk and wrote down the business name and a quick note reminding him that he wanted his manager to double check the financial reports. Christian was never really Elliot's go to for advice, so this lunch should be interesting. Christian stood, buttoned his suit jacket and did his best to mentally prepare for the potential failed conversation to come. Elliot was known to be sensitive at times and Christian wasn't one to sugar code his advice.

Christian was surprised to smell food in Elliot's truck. When they sat in the truck, Christian looked back and saw a large brown bag from his favorite restaurant and a cup holder with two large plastic cups of sweet tea. Christian hated sweet tea, but didn't feel it was necessary to tell Elliot that at the moment.

"I know you hate sweet tea, but it comes with the lunch special. I also have a bottle of water in the bag for you."

Christian was impressed but he didn't say anything. He simply nodded his head.

Elliot drove to a nearby park and parked his truck. He knew no one would really hear their conversation, but he still wanted privacy. Elliot also knew Christian rarely left his office, unless had a business lunch scheduled or he wanted to surprise Anna. Christian pulled the large brown bag up front and took out a container of food, Elliot ordered the same meals: Steak, mash potatoes and asparagus. Christian also took the bottle of spring water Elliot bought him. Since it was Christian's lunch, he planned to eat.

"What's wrong," asked Christian as he cut his steak?

"I think it's getting serious with me and Kate and I don't know if I can have a relationship with her with this…secret between us."

Christian was confused for a moment. What secret? Then he realized what Elliot was saying. Elliot wanted Christian's advice because Anna knew Christian was a werewolf and Elliot wanted to know if he should tell Kate he is a hybrid. Christian hoped he was wrong.

"I see you and Anna and she seemed fine…"

 _Damn_ , Christian thought. Why wasn't Elliot talking to mom about this?

"There are only two questions you need to ask yourself."

Elliot waited for Christian's answer.

"Is she your true mate and do you think she can handle knowing the truth."

Christian watched Elliot closely as Elliot stared ahead. Christian could tell that Elliot wasn't completely sure about Kate yet. Now Christian understood why Elliot came to him. Christian wouldn't hesitate to be honest with Elliot, even if it was something that Elliot didn't want to hear.

"The fact that you have to think this long about it proves you need more time with Kate. I suggest you continue dating and see where it goes."

Christian took a bite of his steak. He kept the pleasure he felt from eating it to himself since he may have disappointed his brother.

"You're right. I don't feel the same way you felt about Anna. At least I don't think I do. Maybe it's because I can't shift. Will I ever sense my mate?"

Christian looked at his brother. That was good point. Elliot may never sense his true mate, but Christian wasn't that heartless. Elliot already felt lacking due to his inability to shift. He still had supernatural senses and strength, but he would never be able to transform into a wolf. No, Christian needed to embrace Anna's kindness right now and give his brother hope.

"I don't think that's true, what happened between Anna and I isn't everyone's story."

Elliot exhaled.

"Okay, I'll wait. Thanks for being so truthful, I knew I could count on you."

Christian noted Elliot's sarcastic tone; he also knew Elliot was grateful for his advice.

"You're welcome. Now eat."

For Anna, work was quiet for the most part. She still needed him to come back to work. If he didn't come back soon, Jack would draw unwanted attention to himself and possibly her. Later in the day, she received another update from Jack. He confirmed that he would remain out for the rest of the week. She began to wonder if he was actually scared for his life or was he up to something?

 **Thanks for reading! I just wanted to take a moment to get back to some of the other characters drama. Elliot is very unpredictable so he may decide to tell Kate about his supernatural side one day. After a few drinks, Kate will come around to it, lol.**

 **Jack is still plotting and has come to the wrong conclusion. I can't wait to see the look of horror on his face when he realizes that Anna is not harmed by his so called lover's blade. That's if he can get Christian to touch it somehow first.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty Four

Anna and Kate sat at the bar in one of their favorite clubs and quietly sipped their cocktails. They were only on their second cocktail and they had no desire to drink another. How pathetic. By this same time last year, Kate would have been dancing drunk in the middle of the club while a slightly drunk Anna held Kate's purse and did her best to wrangle Kate in when she got too flashy. Were they already too old? Kate sighed and looked at Anna. Of course Anna was okay with the current boring events which ticked Kate off a little bit.

"I guess this is what happens when you settle down too quickly," said Kate.

Anna looked over at Kate.

"This is you settling down," asked Anna? "Three guys hit on you."

Kate scoffed.

"I didn't flirt back. I can't help that I'm so approachable."

Anna didn't believe Kate's feigned innocence one bit, but Anna was proud that Kate didn't take their offer to buy her a drink. Anna also just realized what Kate's strange behavior.

"Wait, are you and Elliot serious?"

Kate drank the rest of her cocktail in one gulp. She didn't mean to reveal her feelings for Elliot. Anna looked at Kate and waited for an answer. Kate raised her hand to the passing bartender and asked for another drink and looked back at her friend. Anna was so different at times; maybe the ever so handsome and stern Christian Grey was wearing off on her?

"We haven't talked about it, but I feel like Elliot may be the one for right now."

Anna scratched her head. She had no idea what Kate meant by her statement. A commitment isn't a temporary thing. Maybe Kate had become a lightweight and she was drunk talking right now?

"That doesn't make any sense. Do you not want him to commit to you?"

"If he even thinks about looking at another woman, I'll feed his balls to him on a plate."

The bartender cautiously placed Kate's drink in front of her and walked away.

"It's a metaphor," Kate yelled at the bartender.

"For what," asked Anna in an incredulous tone?

Kate pushed the drink away; it wasn't going to help her get out of this. Anna may not be a reporter, but she had the same stubborn drive to get to the bottom of a story. It was one of the reasons Kate liked her so much. They were the same in a lot of ways; Kate was just more vocal about what she thought. Kate smiled.

"What," asked Anna?

"This is the longest conversation we've had in a while."

"I know…"

"It's not just Christian. We're both pursing our dreams and working around the clock. I knew this would happen, but I didn't think it would happen right out of college. Everything is happening so fast and I don't know if I'm able to keep up."

Anna gave Kate a sympathetic look. She might have been equally overwhelmed, but after she found out she was half Fae, normal things didn't seem as complicated to her. Still, Anna needed to be a friend and empathize with Kate. Anna missed Kate just as deeply and wished she could tell her about her new powers. Anna didn't realize how lonely she was without her best friend Kate until this moment.

"I know, it's crazy, but we'll never drop off completely, you know that."

Kate smiled. Anna was right, she was too sweet to leave Kate forever.

"Now, back to the conversation at hand…are you're in love with Elliot?"

Kate's jaw dropped. Anna's sharp focus could be so annoying at times. Fine, Anna was her best friend; she should know everything about her anyway.

"Yes, I love him and lately he's been pulling back, like he wants to say it, but he's afraid of something. What would he be afraid of?"

Anna made sure to not react when she understood Elliot's fear. Elliot was unsure if Kate was his mate and that was important to him. Kate eyed Anna.

"Did Christian tell you something? Did he talk to Elliot?"

"Not that I know of."

Kate's mind started to race. Now, Elliot's behavior was in question and she wanted to know what was wrong. If Elliot had gotten bored with Kate, then he needed to be man enough to tell her. He may have met someone at the new marketing job he started. She doubted the woman would be prettier than her, but men settled all the time to women that didn't intimidate them. What was she doing? Now she was acting insecure. Kate turned her attention back to Anna.

"It's okay, I'm just tipsy. There's no rush. I don't want to get married before twenty five anyway. That's gross."

"Gross?"

"You know what I mean."

Anna put Kate to bed and walked to her own bedroom. She couldn't help, but worry about her friend. Had Elliot found someone else or was he just cautious about being sure of Kate? Would Elliot ever tell Kate about his hybrid nature? Anna knew Grace never told her husband and they loved each other deeply. She thought about Christian. She was glad that she knew that Christian was a werewolf. It was also a new day, there were so many stories, movies and TV shows about the supernatural, that maybe it wouldn't be such a shock to Kate. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Kate; she loved non-fiction books and hated fantasy. Unfortunately, she wasn't prepared to have such a world revealed to her. Still, hopefully, Kate would be ready to accept Elliot if he decided to tell her.

Anna opened herself to Christian and Christian received her easily. Christian lay back in his bed wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs. He was ready for her tonight and he wanted more than conversation.

 _Hi_ , he said.

 _Hi,_ she said shyly.

All of a sudden she was so timid, but they both knew what they wanted. He focused on her body. In his mind she wore a short silk gown with nothing underneath. In reality, she had her bra and panties on, but that didn't matter. He wanted to make sure his touch reached her like before.

She gasped when she felt his hand around her neck. He held her from behind and used his other hand to slowly move his hand down to her core. He wanted to do as much to her as he could before they were rudely interrupted again. Two fingers dug into her pussy and she bit her lip. If she moaned too loudly, she would wake Kate up and no one wanted that.

As her eyes remained closed, she spread her legs and splayed her hands on her bedsheets. She moved her hips to the rhythm of his movements and he felt the pressure from core. His eyes remained closed as he continued to touch her and his cock grew with anticipation.

 _Yes, Christian, I'm almost there._

He removed his hand and he sensed her disappointment.

 _Not yet, my love._

 _What, why?! You're terrible._

 _Am I? Trust me; it'll be even stronger now._

She arched her back when she felt his mouth on one of her breasts. He caressed the other with his firm, yet gentle touch. She could feel her juices slowly filling her panties and it was wonderful. To sense his touch in her mind and to have her body respond to him in real life was amazing. She started placed her hand on her breast and was shocked when she felt Christian's hand there. Their connection was so strong. He loved the feel of her gentle hand on top of his. He removed her hand and focused on her other breast. She titled her head back and enjoyed his mouth on her.

She took off her gown and quickly unbuttoned her bra. Her nipples were at full attention and sensitive. She slid out of her panties and lay back on her bed.

 _Christian, I want you so badly. I want your cock now._

 _Alright, my love._

She felt his large member enter her slowly. She smiled and pushed back against the bed post. He was torturing her and she didn't understand why. She had to cut the connection last night or else Kate would have asked questions.

 _You feel sooo good…_

 _You feel better._

She jerked as she felt his penis slam into her. This was exactly what she wanted. She wanted his large hard dick tearing apart her pussy. She felt him enter her again and again. Her eyes remain firmly shut as she pounded inside her and her mouth went slack. Slight hitches of breath came from her mouth. The combination of mental and physical stimulation was overwhelming.

If she saw how smug he looked in his own bed she might have been furious with him. He simply lay back against the bed post with his eye closed with a smile on his face. He would groan every now and then, but his arrogance appearance apparent.

 _Keep going, harder. This feels so good._

 _I know; I feel like my head is going to explode._

He closed one of his hands into a fist and she felt his hands on her ass. If they were face to face, he would have been inches away from her as he moved his body harder against her. She opened her eyes and they turned white. She was going to come. Kate was in the back of her mind, but everything inside Anna wanted to climax. He felt the warmth from her powers like before. He knew she would peak soon.

 _Anna, are you sure this is okay. What about Kate?_

 _It'll be fine, I can control it. Keep going, please._

He lowered his head as he lay on the bed and focused on moving faster. He felt a way of energy move past him and he gasped. He came soon after. He opened his eyes and fell forward. She laid on her back covered in a light gleam of sweat. She may never have physical sex again.

During Anna's climax, she focused on shielding herself room from Kate and lost connection with Christian. She quickly linked back with him.

 _Really, you just left me after having sex?_

 _It wasn't like that, I just lost the connection. My focus was off._

She heard him chuckle.

 _I was just messing with you. I needed to catch my breath as well._

She smiled.

 _So, you liked it then. It wasn't weird?_

 _Of course not._

He heard her laugh.

She felt his arm wrap around her waist. At first, she thought he wanted to have sex again, but she was mistaken. She turned to lie on her side and felt his body behind her. They wouldn't sleep for a while, but being held in his arms was all she needed right now.

 _Are you tired, he asked?_

 _No, she said._

He could hear the slight disappointment in her voice. She felt him kiss her shoulder. She wasn't completely used to her new self and he understood that. He hadn't accepted what he was for a long time. He almost debated working in the human world, but his mother convinced him otherwise. When he realized he wasn't going to wolf out unexpectedly, he transitioned well and dominated every business venture he chose to pursue. For years that was enough, but then his wolf showed itself in other ways, through lust and tension. Anna had made him whole and he hoped he would be able to the same for her.

 _You're still Anna; you just don't need as much sleep, that's all._

 _I know, I know…_

 _So, Elliot visited me today…_

 _What?!_

 _To talk about Kate?_

 _Yeah, how did you know that? Did you…_

 _No, Kate talked to me about Elliot tonight._

 _Oh._

 _Yeah…_

Anna and Christian weren't the only couple that made love that night. Still, Alexa had a job to do; she knew Taylor allowed her to sneak out of his bedroom. So far, she didn't have much to say about Christian, but she did have some news about Anna.

 **Thanks for reading! There are two sides to every relationship and Kate is sadly veering toward the negative. Elliot just has a big decision to make and he doesn't want to lose her.**

 **Anna and Christian may never have real sex again, but we all know that isn't true. This is just a fun substitute for when they aren't together.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty Five

Alexa knelt in front of Corin as Corin stood in his bedroom. Sierra stood by her mates side; Corin had trusted Sierra completely again. She had been so supportive of Christian that he decided to have her input on everything related to this Christian and Anna mess. She rested her hand on his chest.

"Rise," said Corin.

Alexa stood up and looked at Corin and Sierra. Corin waited in anticipation. He wanted to know if Anna had showed her true self to Christian. The Fae were selfish and cruel. Anna had to have done something by now and Corin knew Christian wouldn't tell him if she had hurt Christian.

"What do you have to report?"

"Anna hasn't done anything to Christian, but I did sense a struggle inside her."

Tension coiled in Corin's muscles. Sierra was curious to know more as well.

"There's a rage there sometimes, but she never acts on it. I think Christian's presence is helping her."

Corin's shoulders slumped slightly. That was not what he wanted to hear, but he knew Alexa had told the truth. This struggle could still be dangerous. The Fae were easily set off. If she had trouble keeping it together, she still may be dangerous. He felt Sierra lightly rub his shoulder. She knew he was disappointed and she did her best to comfort him. Sierra was also relieved that Christian and Anna were doing well. The two young ones needed each other and Corin needed to be convinced of that.

"Do you think Anna is dangerous," asked Corin?

"No, but I don't think she is completely stable either. She needs Christian right now."

Corin gave Alexa a look.

"My king, I only speak the truth."

Corin rolled his eyes. The truth sucked at the moment. Christian would only accept his intervention if Christian believed Anna was lost to her powers. Unfortunately, that moment had not come to pass. Corin sighed. He was hundreds of years old and learned patience long ago. Time will show Anna's true nature eventually. All Corin had to do was wait.

"You're dismissed; I'll call you if I need you again."

"Yes, my king."

Alexa lowered her eyes for a moment and turned away to leave the bedroom.

Alexa was surprised to see Taylor standing in his living room. He was usually out for most of the day. She hoped she would have some time to herself before she had to talk to him. Taylor was Christian's spy. She knew that anything she told Taylor would be repeated back to Christian and she didn't mind it. Christian trusted Taylor more than her anyway and listened to Taylor. Taylor folded his arms like they didn't have sex last night. This male was so complicated; it was why Alexa liked him so much.

"What did you say?"

"I told him about Anna."

Taylor was confused. What did Alexa know about Anna?

"We all sense it. Sometimes, she's unstable. It maybe sensory overload or she may be struggling with something else."

"Like what?"

"Rage, the Fae like to create and destroy. Maybe she wants to use her powers more and she's frustrated about holding back so much."

Taylor arched an eyebrow. He doubted Anna wanted to hurt anything. It was more likely a sensory overload issue. He still needed to know more.

"How did Corin take it?"

"He was disappointed. Clearly, he's looking for more information. He's waiting for something and I don't know what it is."

Taylor eyed Alexa. She looked conflicted. He could only imagine how hard it was for her to be in the middle of this royal mess. Taylor told Alexa to come toward him. She hesitated for a moment before she walked up to him. He hugged her and she melted against him. She was starting to understand the importance of having someone to hold. She also understood Anna. Christian and Anna kept each other sane and Corin would be foolish to tear them apart.

"I know this is hard, but there is nothing wrong with duty," he said.

"I know; one day I might die for my loyalty to Christian," she said.

She felt his arms stiffen around her.

"It's alright. I know you would do the same. It's just our cast."

"I guess so."

She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. Could she completely mate with an alpha omega wolf? He had an alpha's attitude without their physical strength. What would their children become? Right now that didn't matter; all that mattered was how he made her feel in his arms.

"How long do you have before you need to go," she asked?

"I'm on call, but I think we have some time."

She moved her head toward his face and kissed him. She plan to use as much time as she could with him.

Christian struggled to stay in his seat as he looked at Jack who foolishly stood in Christian's office. Jack's smug smirk oozed of cowardice. Christian reminded himself that he was playing a human game at the moment. If Christian became enraged and kicked Jack out of his office, Christian would look like the fool. That was not an option for Christian and frankly, Jack wasn't worth Christian's time. Christian noticed that Jack decided to dress up for this surprise meeting in a suit. Clearly, Jack was intimidated by Christian if he went so far to imitate him. The observation alone calmed Christian down.

"I charmed my way in, I hope that is not a problem," asked Jack?

Christian didn't smile, but he didn't frown either.

"No, it's not a problem," said Christian. "I'm just curious to know why you are here."

Jack took a few steps forward and stood in front of the chairs by Christian's desk. Jack knew better than to sit down without Christian's permission. Christian didn't react to Jack's weak tactics; it only made Christian less interested in Jack. Maybe Anna should handle Jack? Christian would tear him apart too easily. No, this was wolf business and Christian would handle Jack if he needed to be handled. Christian became uncomfortable for moment. He had never killed anyone. Could he really do it? If Jack would not relent, Christian would have to put him down. Christian sensed Jack's confidence and turned his attention back to Jack.

Jack misunderstood Christian's conflicted emotions for fear and placed his hand on one of Christian's office chairs to sit down. Christian gave Jack a warning look. Jack smugly removed his hand from the office chair.

"Again, why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk about Anna."

Christian straightened in his chair and focused on remaining in it. It would be so easy to jump across his desk and have Jack on the ground with his hand on Jack's throat. Then his assistant would rush in confused and afraid and everyone would second guess Christian's sanity from that point on. Office politics would ruin his reputation and he wouldn't put it past Jack to sue Christian for assault. That alone could have him voted out of his own company. No, he would remain in his chair.

"Why?"

"I just think your senses may be off about what you think is happening between me and her. We're just friends."

Christian finally smiled.

"You're not friends, you're her boss and she's your assistant."

Jack's eyes became dark for a moment. Christian didn't like playing mind games, but he was glad, he got a reaction from Jack. Jack wasn't a good man and Christian just reminded Jack of that. This conversation was also starting to bore Christian. Christian had already beat Jack at his own game.

"I sincerely hope not. Our publishing firm is small and we all end up closer."

Christian didn't bite at all. He just wanted for Jack to say what he needed to say and leave his office. He planned to have it cleaned later. Christian didn't want a single trace of Jack's scent to remain in his office.

"Regardless, I saw how important you are to her and I want to apologize if I offended you by giving you this."

Jack threw something at Christian and Christian caught it without taking his eyes off Jack. What game was this man playing? Christian opened his hand and looked down at the item Jack threw at him. It was an old pocket watch. He could tell it was broken without opening it; the clock was silent. Christian looked back up at Jack.

"That's not necessary; besides it's broken."

Christian threw the watch back at Jack. Jack caught the watch the same way as Christian. Jack had not taken his eyes off him. Jack smiled. For the first time in their entire conversation, Jack's smile seemed truly genuine.

"That's rude, Christian. It's vintage and very valuable."

Christian shrugged his shoulders. Why was Jack wasting Christian's time? Christian doubted that publishers had this much time on their hands. Jack must not be a great publishing commissioner. Not that it mattered. If Jack wasn't careful, he would end up being Anna's assistant. Maybe Christian should buy the company out? No, Anna wouldn't have it, but it was tempting. Although, Christian was interested in Anna's interests. Maybe it would be something to look into later.

"Good for you. Is that all you wanted?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders in mock defeat. Jack was clearly happier and it was starting to bother Christian a little. Jack didn't want to expose his emotions further so he decided to leave.

"Well, I tried. I'm a good guy Christian and it's sad that you can't see that. Anna is just as important to me as she is to you."

Christian stood up and kept his hands on his desk to keep himself locked in place. He didn't trust himself to move any further. Christian didn't care if he looked weak; he needed to educate Jack regarding who he was trying to fuck with. Christian's eyes glowed for a moment. Jack's eyes glowed as well, but Christian smelled Jack's fear. Jack wasn't expecting Christian to let his wolf surface; he was surprised by Christian's strength. This was not the same werewolf Jack had encountered when they first met. Christian's eyes returned to normal. Jack's eyes took a few extra seconds to dim.

"I know exactly who you are Jack."

Jack hadn't felt this type of fear in a while, but he soon recovered.

"Never show yourself in my presence again. We have nothing to discuss. Unless I'm with Anna at a required function, I don't want to see your cowardly face again. Do you understand?"

It took everything in Jack to respond to Christian. He reminded himself of his own abilities and strength.

"You blinked," said Jack.

Christian claws itched to extend. Jack was only fooling himself. Christian could smell his fear. Jack walked out of the room without a backwards glance. Christian slowly sat down and gritted his teeth together to keep from growling. The runt got a reaction out of him. Still, Christian could take Jack down easily.

Jack sat in his car and sniffed the copper pocket watch. Christian's touch and scent was still all over it. It should be enough for Jack's blade. The book said all the copper needed was a touch. Jack smiled and started his car. A discrete craftsman would be enough; then he could plan his revenge properly.

Anna was surprised to see Christian's name pop up on her cell phone. She knew he wouldn't have called unless it was important. Hannah was on lunch and her work was nearly done for the day so she answered her cell phone.

"Christian; is everything okay," she asked quietly?

"No, everything isn't. I had to wait before I called you, it would have looked too suspicious if I left the office so soon."

Why couldn't he leave his office?

"Anna, it took everything in me not to shift and attack Jack in my office."

"What?!"

 **Thanks for reading! Christian and Anna are doing fine so of course something tries to get in their way. Jack's is lucky that Christian is in full control of his wolf or Jack would have been torn apart right then. Unfortunately, Christian wasn't completely unfazed by Jack's visit. Hopefully, Anna can calm him down.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty Six

Anna whispered as she spoke. Even though she was alone at the moment, she was still at work. Her mind was racing in confusion. Why would Jack show up at Christian's office before coming back to work? She hadn't even received a notice that he was back in town. Anna could tell he was trying to keep it together. Jack had just openly challenged Christian on his own turf. If Jack had confronted him properly, Christian would have resolved this Jack nonsense properly, but Jack was a coward. He proved his cowardice today when he decided to face him as a human, instead of as a wolf. No matter, Christian would be ready next time; he had a good whiff of Jack's scent. Since Jack liked games so much, Christian planned to lure Jack into following him somewhere secluded and he would take care of the rest.

"Christian, breathe," said Anna desperately.

Christian blinked and remembered he was on his cell phone. He was right to call his mate; Anna was already taming his other half. Christian the man was angry as well, but he could handle that. His wolf wanted to tear out of him and chase Jack down the hallway until it got ahold of Jack's jugular vein. She heard Christian inhale and exhale. When he spoke again, she heard his normal intimidating no-nonsense tone. She gave him a few more seconds to calm down before she spoke. She asked him what happened. He didn't really know what Jack was doing there himself so he decided to stick to the facts. Jack showed up at his office unannounced and had a verbal pissing contest in Christian's office. Christian was getting angry again.

"You can't lose it there; stay calm. He isn't worth it."

Christian wiped his forehead. His wolf was too close to the surface and he began to perspire. He hoped Anna had had a few more minutes to spare on the phone; he really needed her right now.

"I can assume by your surprise that he hadn't said anything to you about coming back yet."

"No, he hasn't. He's playing with both of us. He had to have known you would have told me he came to see you."

"You're right. He's up to something."

"Well if he is; we'll be ready for him."

Now Christian was nervous. Her tone had become deadly. He didn't want her near this Jack. He may not be able to physically hurt her, but he was clearly affecting her emotionally. Christian had to convince her that if Jack needed to be dealt with, he should do it. Christian may have never killed anyone, but he was more accustomed to violence. He had lived with his aggressive nature for years now. Who knew what could have happened if he attacked someone earlier in his life? He may not have come back from it. She couldn't kill Jack, no matter what.

"Anna, breathe."

He heard her inhale and exhale. They were now more similar than ever.

"We both have to get back to work. Can you come over tonight, please? I know, it's early, but I'll give up Friday."

He heard silence on the other end of the phone. Did she really not want to see him? They needed to discuss Jack further and now was not the time or place to do it.

"Yeah, I'll call Kate. I think she might be a little tired of me anyway. Be warned, she may plan something for Friday out of spite."

He smirked. Of course she would, but Christian counted on his brother Elliot to distract Kate. From what he heard, Kate and Elliot were usually locked in a hotel room somewhere during the weekend. They'd find out on Friday if Kate decided to 'plan something' for them to do.

"That's fine," he said.

She smiled. Anna knew Christian was counting on Elliot to ask Kate out on Friday, but Kate may decline. Christian had no idea what Kate was capable of when she was pissed. Well, he might find out this Friday.

"Okay, love you," she said.

"Love you too," he said.

Jack listened to his favorite female vocalist as he drove to his destination. It was an eighteen hour drive; since he didn't need sleep, he would get there by midmorning tomorrow. The only suspicious thing he did was take out a few hundred dollars from his bank account. He didn't want his bank account to list his purchase. He doubted anything would come of it. He had kidnapped a number of women and he hadn't been caught yet. Since he knew Anna, he needed to be more careful. Questions were bound to happen, but he would handle them easily.

Jack walked into the artisan's store and looked around. The man had an entire wall of blades on display. The blades that were in glass cases had signs that read not for sale. He smiled at that; if he was in a playing mood, maybe he would try to bargain for one of the elusive blades, but now was not the time. George, the owner walked toward the front of the store. He wore a worn polo shirt and brown cargo pants. His work boots were scuffed in the front. Jack was not impressed with the man's look. Even if he was a craftsman, he could still dress nice when he worked in the store.

"Hi, I heard a lot about your work; I'm a big fan," said Jack.

George eyed Jack for a moment and shook his hand. Jack could already tell, he and George were not going to be friends.

"Hello, I'm George. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you could turn this into a blade. My girlfriend and I thought since it's broken, why not do something with it."

George made no expression, but he was confused. They could have the stopwatch fixed.

"Okay…so you want me to melt it down and make it into a blade."

"Yes."

Jack knew George would do anything for the right price. George was just protecting himself to make sure Jack was trustworthy.

"Alright," said George. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"It's Simon, Simon Peterson," said Jack.

Anna was dreading her call to Kate; she could tell Kate was a little needy at the moment. She sighed and dialed Kate's cell phone number as she stood outside of the office building. Christian and Taylor would be there soon to pick her up. Kate answered on the first ring.

"Anna."

Did Kate already know what Anna was about to say?

"Hey, Kate."

"Uh huh, are you staying over at Christian's tonight?"

"Yeah, something came up and he really needs to talk."

Which was true; she just didn't give her friend the specific supernatural details about the talk.

"It's fine, he bribed me earlier today."

"What?!"

Christian had no right to interfere with her friendship like that. Now they would have another issue to talk about. Anna closed her eyes and calmed down.

"I mean, what did he give you?"

"He bought me an $800 in season Michael Kors purse!"

Anna pulled the phone away when she heard Kate scream. She also heard Kate's heels clicking on the tile in excitement. She probably looked insane.

"You should be ashamed of yourself."

"I should not. You're the one who couldn't last a week without seeing him."

Anna closed her mouth. Kate was right, but Anna did have a good reason.

"You're right…"

Kate sighed.

"Don't be upset. If you want me to give it back I will. I was just surprised; it was delivered to my desk. He also wrote the cutest note."

Anna had to know about the note.

"What did it say?"

Kate read the note to her:

 _Kate,_

 _Anna cares about you so much and I am sorry that I am taking her away from you again. I hope you can accept this gift. I am truly grateful that Anna has a great friend like you in her life._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Christian Grey_

"Seriously, I can give it back."

"No it's fine."

 _It was kind of weird_ , thought Anna, but it was something Christian Grey would do. The note showed that he listened to Anna and respected her friendship. He just could have showed it without buying her friend a crazy expensive gift.

"No of course not, keep it and I want to see it tomorrow."

"Of course."

"Okay, well, see ya."

"Bye; just try not to make this a habit, okay."

Anna put her phone in her purse. Christian's car parked in front of her shortly after. Taylor stepped out of the car and opened the passenger door. Anna gave Taylor a 'how is he look.' Taylor responded with dread in his eyes; it was that bad. She immediately saw why Taylor looked worried. Christian's tie was off and he had unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt. He was not himself.

Christian looked over at Anna for a moment. He didn't want to speak. He just wanted her beside him. She saw his hands on his knees. She timidly reached for the hand closest to her and held it. He squeezed her hand and remained silent. She refused to read him and allowed him to sit in silence for as long as he needed. He looked over at her again.

"I let him get inside my head."

She used her other hand to rub his back to comfort him. He closed his eyes for a moment to savor her touch. She had the power to calm him down way before she discovered she was part Fae.

"Not then, but after. I let him go. Why did I do that?"

"You didn't have a choice. You were in a public place."

He shook his head. No, he could have done something. He could have had security hold him or at least embarrass him. Why did Christian listen to anything Jack had to say? Christian felt played; he did everything Jack wanted him to do and Jack knew it. Christian replayed the moment in his head over and over again throughout the day and became more agitated. If he hadn't called Anna, he would have been lost.

"It's alright. He can't hurt me, remember?"

"That's not the point."

He looked at her.

"He challenged me. I can't even shift because if I do…"

"You might hunt him down and kill him."

Christian nodded his head in agreement. The only thing that held him back was Anna. She wanted to give Jack a chance and Christian planned to honor her decision. No matter how potentially foolish it may be.

"I need you tonight. I'll be fine in the morning."

She laid her head on his shoulder and exhaled. He turned his head toward her.

"I didn't know it was this bad," she said.

"I know, I just didn't want you to worry. I'm worried more about tonight than anything else."

His urge to shift was stronger at night; especially, if his wolf was agitated. He needed to be with her tonight. His wolf needed to be reminded that she was okay and he was close enough to protect her. _Anna, safe_ , asked his wolf? _Yes_ , he said to his wolf. He felt his wolf lay on its side; it was at peace for now. Christian on the other hand was not. He still had to convince her of his contingency plan. She was hopeful, but he was not. Sooner or later, Jack would need to be put down.

"I know you think Jack should die, but everyone deserves a chance."

He kissed her forehead. He loved her spirit and wished the world was as beautiful as she imagined it to be. Only, this was not a fairy tale. Jack did not want redemption; he wanted Anna. He felt his wolf stir inside him. She moved her hand from his back and placed it on his chest; his wolf became calm again. He hoped she was his remedy for tonight or he might lose control.

 **Thanks for reading! Christian wasn't as immune as he thought to Jack's games. Anna should be his remedy, but there may be a bit of a struggle. Jack's plan is coming together, even though it's a complete waste of time. His time is coming soon.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty Seven

Christian all, but stomped into his apartment. Now that he was in his territory, he felt more comfortable showing his agitation. He took off his jacket, folded it in half and placed it on his couch. Anna watched his every move. The fact that he folded the jacket was a good sign. She slowly walked closer to him, but stopped a few feet away. He hadn't turned to face her. He just stood there with his posture rigid and ready to attack something. She looked down at his hands and saw them balled into fists. He was slipping and she felt guilty. All of this happened because she allowed Jack to affect them. Maybe she should have done something that day? No, using her powers to intentionally hurt someone wasn't something to take lightly. She had to be able to live with herself.

She returned her attention back to Christian and saw him try to control his breathing. She had never seen him this upset before. Maybe his animal need to protect her was outweighing his restraint? She walked toward him and wrapped his arms around his chest. His heartbeat slowed and she felt him relax. She leaned her head against his back and closed her eyes. No words needed to be spoken. There was really nothing she could say to calm him down. Jack was determined to harass them and they needed to be ready for his next move or they would be caught off guard again. She felt his hand hold one of her hands and squeeze it. He closed his eyes as well and let her scent and loving presence relax his mind. His head drooped as if he was going to fall asleep.

All was becoming well until they heard Taylor clear his throat. Christian opened his eyes abruptly. Anna opened her eyes slowly. His touch was soothing her as well.

"You told me to bring Alexa here," said Taylor. "Do you still want to see her?"

Christian felt Anna's hands drift away from his chest; he felt a slight chill when she removed herself from him completely. They both turned around at the same time to see Taylor and Alexa standing a few feet away from the elevator. Christian held back a snarl. Officially, he had no problem with Alexa, but his patience was thin at the moment. Anna was confused. Why would Christian want to speak with Alexa at a time like this?

Alexa lowered her eyes when Christian turned to face her and waited for Christian to allow her to raise her eyes.

"Rise," said Christian.

Alexa looked up at Christian. He folded his arms. Anna gently placed her hand on Christian's arms. He looked at her and down at his arm. He assumed his mate didn't feel like his behavior was appropriate, so for her, he put his arms at his sides.

"Taylor told me what you said, but I would like to hear it from you directly."

Alexa looked over at Anna and back at Christian. Anna didn't like Alexa's look. Was Alexa reporting on Anna? What did she have to do with…oh right, his father hated the Fae and she was part Fae. Of course she would be a person of interest to Corin. She was also hurt, she would never be a threat to her boyfriend; she loved him. How could she convince Corin of her loyalty?

"Go on," said Christian.

"Anna, I didn't say anything that would cause you unwanted attention," said Alexa.

Anna could tell Alexa was nervous, possibly even frightened of Anna. Alexa's reaction upset Anna. Everyone could sense Anna's anger at that moment and became still. Their fear caused Anna to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry; I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me, Alexa. Sometimes, my heightened gets the best of me."

"I know. It's also what I reported to Corin. I told him Christian was well, but your heightened emotions were possibly unstable."

"You shouldn't have said anything," said Christian.

Taylor inched closer to Alexa and everyone noticed. Clearly, they were back together. Christian also knew that he could use his Alpha wolf status to order Taylor to back down, but Christian wouldn't do that to his friend.

"I also said that you were good for her. You keep her constant. Corin knows that it's better not to interfere in your relationship, for the moment."

Anna and Christian looked at each other. She couldn't help, but smile. She knew he would have smiled as well, but he had to be serious. Christian looked back at Alexa.

"Well, thank you for being honest with me and my father."

Alexa was shocked to hear that; she thought she would be in trouble no matter what she did. Christian asked when she would be summoned by Corin again. She said she didn't know; next time he will call her. She will not be required to see him on her own. Christian looked between Taylor and Alexa.

"So you two are seeing each other again?"

Taylor and Alexa looked away from each other.

"Do I have to make the question an order?"

"Christian…" chastised Anna.

"That's not necessary. Alexa and I are…" said Taylor.

"Physically acquainted," said Alexa.

Anna and Christian looked at Alexa. Taylor turned his head slowly toward Alexa and didn't say a word. Alexa faced forward and didn't have the decency to look back at Taylor. Taylor would make Alexa pay for that comment later, but for now; he just needed to answer Christian's question. Taylor returned his attention back toward Anna and Christian. Christian had slight pity in his eyes; which made Taylor feel worse. Alexa should have let him answer the question.

"She's right," said Taylor. "Having an emotional connection is not opportune at the moment."

 _Damn_ , thought Anna and Christian. Taylor and Alexa would either be dead or an official couple by tomorrow morning. The gauntlet had me slammed between them. Anna wanted to reach out and hug them both. Why were they playing these games? Finding a soulmate was one of the best gifts a person could receive in this world and they were taking unnecessary jabs at each other.

"Well, just make sure it doesn't get in the way of work," said Christian.

Alexa bowed her head. Taylor nodded his head.

"Yes, my prince," said Alexa.

"No problem, boss," said Taylor.

Anna wanted to interject again, but didn't. Christian was too formal sometimes. His friend was just humiliated by his potential mate and all he could say was 'don't let it get in the way of work.'

"Taylor, I'll see you in the morning. Alexa, good night."

Taylor and Alexa finally glanced at each other before they walked to the elevator. There was going to be a big argument in Taylor's room tonight.

As soon as they left, the Jack problem seeped back into their minds. Alexa was not their real problem; neither was Corin at the moment. Anna knew Christian would never admit it out loud, but he knew that his father would never hurt him. Corin loved Christian and Anna knew that Corin wished he had done things differently. Anna was able to forgive her father for his actions, but Christian was too hurt to forgive Corin. If his mother lived, maybe things would have been different?

"What are you thinking about," he asked?

She blinked and looked up at him.

"Jack unfortunately and your father."

Christian became confused. What did Corin have to do with Jack? If anything Corin would have Jack killed. No, Christian wouldn't want to be in Corin's debt. Christian had to take care of Jack himself.

"What does Corin have to do with this?"

She shook her head.

"I knew you would think the worst about him."

"Jack is the worst."

"No, I'm talking about your father."

His face turned to stone. His emotions were a like a light switch when it came to his father. Everything became dark.

"He's not worth discussing."

She promised herself that she would let him find his way with his father so she dropped the subject. He saw how his reaction upset her and quickly pushed away his anger. She was only being herself; a beautiful loving person that forgave easily. He just couldn't forgive his father. Corin must have known about Christian and his mother's struggles and he ignored it. Christian grew up fine without him.

He rubbed her arm.

"I'm sorry; I'm not mad at you. You know that, right?"

"I know; I'm sorry too, you're right, your father has nothing to do with this."

He knew she didn't fully agree with her statement, but he let it pass. He didn't want to fight with his lover. They had a real threat to deal with.

"So, how do we deal with Mr. Hyde?"

She chuckled. Clearly, he felt better if he was able to make a slightly inappropriate joke.

"I don't know, but we have to protect ourselves."

He didn't like the sound of that. Christian didn't want her to confront Jack again. If Jack needed to be put down; Christian wanted to be the one to do it.

"Do you trust me, Anna?"

She was confused by the question. Of course, she trusted him with all of heart.

"Yes, you know I do."

He moved to gently hold each of her hands and looked into her eyes. He needed to choose his words carefully. He knew this was going to be a fight regardless, but he could at least ease the blow a little. Christian couldn't allow Anna to have blood on her hands. She was still developing a Fae hybrid. Killing this soon may irrevocably affect her. He was already broken and had dealt with his scars for years. Christian wouldn't enjoy killing Jack, but Christian would protect his mate at all cost. He could see in her eyes that she was trying to figure out what he planned to say.

"I know you can handle almost anything, but I think it's best that I handle Jack."

He was waiting for her reaction. She hadn't pulled her hands away from him. Hopefully, that was a good sign. Then her eyes flashed white for a moment.

"What do you think will happen," she asked? "Are you saying you don't trust me?"

He felt terrible. He was ready for her anger, but not her pain. Of course he trusted her and he knew she could take care of Jack easily. She could probably erase him from everyone's memory, but that wasn't the point. Taking a life affects everything. She wouldn't be the same and he didn't want that type of burden on her.

"Of course I trust you. It's not about trust. It's about what it could do to you."

"What do mean?"

He gently removed one hand and placed it on the side of her face. Her lovely eyes were so pure. They would never be the same if she took Jack's life. He couldn't let her take away the innocence in her eyes. Not even to protect him. He would rather die than have her lose herself.

"It may not even be necessary," he said. "Jack may be all talk, but if he's a real threat."

"Give me a reason," she said.

"What?"

"Give me a reason why I should let you kill Jack?"

He remained quiet. If he said what he thought; it may change everything.

 **Thanks for reading! The big question (of who will handle Jack) has officially come up. It's a very morbid conversation to have, but Jack brought this on himself. If Jack goes through with his plan, he will be dealt with. Right now, it's important for Anna and Christian to understand each other and get on the same page.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty Eight

Christian watched Anna closely as she stood in front of him and waited for his answer. For him the answer was simple. She was too pure to be tainted in such a way; she was also vulnerable. What if she had a taste for destruction? The Fae seemed to be only interested in two things creation and oblivion. He wished he had a conversation with his mother or even Anna's father before he decided to have this confrontation. Now he was on his own. He had to convince his lover, a woman that was capable of anything to not take the shot. Christian was a powerful alpha in his own right, but he was not immortal. Still he had to say his peace and hoped she understood him.

"You're young in your powers, Anna; you needed to figure out who you are before you use them in such a life changing way," he said.

She shook her head. The truth was revealed. Christian was afraid of her like everyone else; he didn't trust her. Her eyes began to tear up. He took a step toward her, but stopped when she glared at him.

"So you don't think I can handle it," she asked?

"No one can handle taking a life; it stays with you."

"How do you know?!"

"Because I've hunted!"

Anna's tears dried up from the shock from what she just heard. Christian had killed before?

"It's not what you think. I've never killed a human, but I have killed."

He looked away from her; he was so ashamed. No one ever knew what he had done and it had been a heavy burden on him. He felt her gentle touch on his bicep.

"Tell me," she said.

He faced her and his eyes glowed for a moment.

It happened during the summer before his first semester of college. He had convinced his mother to let him stay home alone. As he laid in his bed, he began to struggle with his wolf. It was frustrated, but he couldn't figure out what it wanted. Then he smelled human blood. The maid had cut her finger on something; his wolf senses peeked. All of sudden he could hear every movement the woman made. He heard her suck her wounded finger and pull it away from her mouth. He heard her sigh of frustration and the running water from the bathroom sink. He even heard her put the band aid on her finger and return to work as if nothing happened.

He sat up in his bed and gripped the top mattress to keep from moving. He had to remain still. His wolf was hungry and it didn't want human food, it wanted to hunt. He closed his eyes and focused on remaining in control. His mother had taught him some techniques, but controlled breathing wasn't working at the moment. He heard the front door close; now no one was home. That's when he released his grip from his bed. He turned his head toward the direction of the woman; she was now out of sensing range. His eyes glowed for a moment and he thought the worst was over. Then he heard movement.

He stood up and ran down the stairs. The scent was so close. He opened the door, quickly took off his clothes and shifted. His wolf had never been so excited. He stalked his prey, running wasn't necessary. It was close. There was no one in range that would see his attack. All he needed to do was time his strike perfectly. Christian was only an observer. He let his wolf take the reign and it was a mistake. The large plump rabbit looked like the best thing it had ever seen and the wolf wanted it badly. He grabbed the rabbit with his deadly jaw in one bite and felt its warm blood fill his mouth. The wide eye fear in the rabbit's eyes didn't stop the wolf from consuming him. Once it was fully eaten, the wolf looked down at the blood stained ground and whimpered. Christian had regained control. He shifted back into his human form and looked down at the carnage he caused. When he heard something moving at his left, he sensed four young rabbits hiding in a bush. He had just killed their mother.

He shifted back into a wolf and ran away. As he ran, his mind plagued him with the images of his assault. He hunted and killed a living creature for no reason. His wolf felt guilty as well. They had plenty food and hunting wasn't necessary. It was so caught up in the hunt; it didn't realize it had killed a mother in front of her children.

He picked up his clothes and walked back into the house. When the sun rose, he made a vow to never intentionally kill anything again and he never did.

"I didn't know," she said.

"Of course you didn't," he said. "I felt something that I had never felt before and for a moment, I loved it, but that feeling didn't last."

"That's because you're a good person and so am I."

"I know that."

"Do you?"

"Yes and that's why you shouldn't have to do this. Trust me, it may not change you, but it will be with you forever. Just let me do this, please."

She blinked. He had never pleaded with her before. She still needed to know for sure.

"Can I read you?"

His eyes widened. Now who didn't trust who?

"Alright."

Her eyes turned white. At first all she sensed was pain and confusion. Then his love for her pushed through. She gasped when she felt his love. He was never afraid of her; he only wanted to protect her. Her eyes returned to normal.

"You really love me," she said.

"Of course I do."

Without a second thought she pulled his face down towards her and kissed him. He moved his hands down toward her ass and squeezed; she moaned against his lips.

"I love, Anna, I love you so much."

Suddenly, her lips felt cold and she opened her eyes. He had pulled away from her.

"I need an answer," he said roughly.

She tilted her head at him.

"Are you saying you won't make love to me unless I let you kill Jack?"

"Of course not."

She saw him look away. He was using his body as a bargaining chip. Her core was already longing for him and she already made the decision before she kissed him.

Two could easily play this game. She slowly took off her jacket and unzipped her dress. She didn't take her eyes off him as she finished undressing herself. He knew a challenge when he saw one and his penis had already betrayed him. If she took one step toward him, he may lose his resolve. Her dress laid on the floor and she stepped away from it. Her shoes were the last thing to go. She slid her hand towards her center, lightly touched it and rubbed her neck with the now tainted hand.

"That's too bad. I was just going to let you know my decision, but now you'll just have to wait."

She walked past him on her way to his bedroom. He stood there dumfounded with his hands at his sides. Was she really going to just leave him there?

"Are you coming," she yelled from the hallway.

He closed his eyes. Her arousal was potent and he couldn't take it anymore. He turned around and started to unbutton his shirt.

"Not yet," she said.

He stopped undressing himself and followed her to his bedroom. She sat on his bed and curled her finger toward herself to signal for him to walk toward her. He walked toward her dripped in confidence.

"Stop," she said.

He now stood in front of her.

"You can undress now."

He smiled; this was going to be her night and he didn't mind it one bit. He unbuttoned three buttons and pulled one side of his shirt to show a hint of his muscles. She bit her lip. She knew that drove him crazy. He returned to the task at hand and took off his shirt. She reached out to touch him, but he stepped out of her reach. She smiled. His shoes slid away from his feet with ease. He unzipped his pants and kicked them away. Only his boxer briefs remained. Suddenly, she appeared in front of him and looked up at him as she rubbed his arms and chest. His whole body was on fire and he only had one more thing to take off.

She reached down toward his clothed penis and rubbed it. He gasped, wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her toward him.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting that," he said.

"Its fine, I like it soft and rough," she said.

She felt his cock press harder against the palm of her hand; he was ready for her. She knelt down and pulled down his last piece of clothing. It had been so long since she tasted him.

Without warning, he felt her beautiful lips on his penis; he placed a hand on her shoulder to steady himself. She felt so good. Her movements were, slow, wet and just the right pressure. She squeezed his ass as always and it almost made him release every time she did it. She started to moan against him and he felt every vibration; another thing that could set him off. Her hands began to rub up and down the back of his legs. That was okay; it didn't set him off as much. He planned to return the favor. Soon her mouth began to assault his cock and her movement became faster and harder. He knew she wanted to taste his cum. The pressure built from his spine and pushed out through his penis. He groaned loudly and jerked forward. Her Fae strength was able to hold him in place as she took her fill of him.

"You drive me crazy," he said.

She stood up and kissed him. She moved her hands to caress him again, but he was not having it. It was his turn. He gently held her wrists and moved her toward the bed. She fell back and looked up at him. She could still be so shy at times. He crawled between her legs and gently pushed them apart. She laid back and waited for his mouth to touch her carnal lips.

He started gentle. He wanted to take his time with her. His kisses were slow and the sensation on her core changed from slight stimulation to full on pleasure. She spread her legs wider to signal she wanted so much more and he obliged her. He went in deeper. With one hand he rubbed her right inner thigh. The intimate touch only made her pleasure stronger and she moaned in response. Yes, this was what he wanted to hear.

He stopped and began to kiss her inner thigh. She sat up.

"What are you doing," she asked?

"Sit back, trust me," he said.

She laid back down and signed in frustration. He returned to her pussy and the light flick of his tongue nearly sent her over. She smiled. He was right; he knew exactly what he was doing. She wasn't going to question him for the rest of the night. She his tongue caressed her core and her pussy became moist. He started to drink from her cup. It was all too much and she exploded in ecstasy; her body convulsed with pleasure. He lifted his head and smiled at her.

"I told you."

She wasn't going to let him take this pleasure away from her so she ignored him. She pulled him down toward her and he entered her easily. She didn't let go of him as he thrusted inside of her. There was no comparison to the real thing. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his pounding. She began to move against him. The different rhythms ignited both of their bodies.

"I love you so much," she said.

He continued move inside her. They both started to sweat and he felt that new warm feeling that built from her body. She yelled out and a wave of energy pushed through the room. He placed his head between her neck and shoulder and groaned in her neck as he shuddered from his own release. It took them a few deep breaths to calm down. He lifted his head and looked down at her.

"You're everything to me," he said.

He kissed her slowly and soon they were ready for another round. He hadn't forgotten about his question, but he had all night to hear her answer.

 **Thanks for reading! So, the Jack issue is kind of resolved. Most people shake hands when an agreement is made, but they made love instead. However, they can't control what Jack will do so, that is an unknown factor.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty Nine

Anna played with Christian's hand as they lay in his bed. At first he didn't like her random game, but the more she touched him the better it felt. He took one moment to kiss her wrist. She was so beautiful.

"Have you made your decision," asked Christian?

"Yes," said Anna.

Christian dramatically exhaled. Finally, they had an understanding. He thanked her and assured her that he would not kill Jack unless it was absolutely necessary.

"I believe you," she said.

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but Christian was a more seasoned supernatural. He had been living in plain sight without one incident. Sure, he had his issues, but he didn't put them on other people. She could learn a lot from him if she let him.

"Do you really think I would get a taste for violence if I killed him," she asked? "I'm just asking; I'm not upset."

He kissed the top of her head.

"No, but it is a possibility for anyone, including humans."

"Well that's a convenient answer."

"It's also true. I mean no judgement by it."

She knew as much, but it scared her that he thought it was possible. She had already faced her powers temptation and won. Her own father destroyed an entire eco system and was still able to come back from it. Goodness was in her blood and she doubted killing in self-defense would change her. Still, she would let it pass for Christian. Jack was a werewolf so why shouldn't he be handled by one. She smiled at the thought. Jack had no idea what Christian was capable of. Anna remembered when Christian challenged his step mother, Sierra, to defend Anna. He was ferocious and completely in control. If Christian was a monster, Sierra would have died that night. He only wanted to scare Sierra to make sure she never made another attempt against him or Anna again.

He asked about her smile. She smiled wider and turned her head. She told him how she felt about Jack; he had no idea what was coming if he tried anything. Now Christian smiled. She was right.

Anna and Christian were both distracted at work. Jack hadn't communicated to her at all and she had nothing to do. She offered to help Hannah, but Hannah could only allow Anna to do so much. Some of their tasks were confidential in nature. She didn't dare tell Christian about her worries while at work. She already knew he was probably just as distracted. She would talk to him tonight. That was the plan until she received a text message from him.

He wrote: _What's going on, is he there?_

She responded: _No, he also hasn't contacted me._

 _What!_

She grimaced; she could almost hear him yelling.

 _Don't get upset. ._

 _I can't help it._

She imagined him standing behind his desk and controlling his breathing.

She wrote: _If something happens, I'll let you know._

He responded: _Thank you; I love you._

 _I love you too._ She added a wink-kiss with heart-smiley face emoji.

He hated emoji's, but he knew when to pick his battles. She put her phone away and continued to sit at her desk. The least she could do was act like she was busy.

Christian sat down in his chair and dropped his cell phone on his desk. His wolf was now agitated. He shouldn't have allowed himself to get riled up; now he had two problems on his hands. He sensed his assistant at the door and straightened his posture. He never liked to overtly show his frustration at the office.

"Come in," he said.

She walked in and looked slightly awkward. He spoke before he should have known she was there. All he could do was let it pass and hope that she didn't think about it after she left.

"Your next appointment is here; shall I let them in," she asked?

"Yes, please," he said.

She opened the door wider and two scared men walked into the room. Avis was Christian's man; he oversaw the new app venture. Duncan was the young, clean faced college boy that actually invented the app.

"Please sit down," said Christian.

The men walked toward Christian's desk and sat down. Christian abruptly leaned forward and the men wanted to scoot back their chairs. Christian's eyes weren't glowing, but his wolf was close to the surface right now and Christian didn't care.

"What do you think I should do," asked Christian?

The men glanced at each other. They did not know where the conversation was going. They knew something was up, but they weren't going to admit their faults just yet. Duncan admitted to Avis that their platform was losing popularity just two days after Duncan signed the contract. Avis didn't want to look like a fool so he turned a blind eye to Duncan's work and Duncan became careless.

"I don't understand," said Avis.

Christian leaned in close, this time Avis and Duncan reared back. They couldn't tell exactly what was going on with Christian, but they could tell something was off about him. Everyone feared Christian, but the fear they had almost felt as if they were in physical danger.

"I asked Avis to review your last report and he confirmed that everything was correct, but I knew that wasn't the case," said Christian to Duncan.

Christian sat back in his chair, picked up two green folders from his desk and handed a folder to each of them. They opened it up and saw their report stapled on one side of the folder and a third party report stapled on the other side. Christian explained that the other report was completed by a third party for objectivity. The app was less popular then projected and no one told him.

"I'm not going to talk about the past because I stand by my decision. I just want you both to explain what happened, right now. Avis goes first."

Avis rolled on Duncan so easily. He said he did his best to try to save Christian from a mistake. Christian's face remained stoic. If Avis thought he would keep his job; he was sorely mistaken. Christian only wanted to know the truth.

Duncan grew angrier with each word Avis spoke. While Avis remained professional, Duncan nearly exploded. He began to blame everyone else; including the subscribers for not utilizing the app properly. Somehow the staff he hired was to blame as well. Christian cut Duncan off, he had nothing to learn from him. Next time, Christian would have to hire a more software savvy manager. A seasoned manager without software experience wasn't a good fit.

Christian stood. Duncan literally had his arms folded. Avis stood up and shook Christian's hand. When Duncan realized that his company was finished, he felt deflated. He stood up and shook Christian's hand to reclaim the little dignity he had left.

"You both are terminated immediately and the company will be sold. Please hand your badges to my assistant and she will walk you to Human Resources to finish up the paperwork. You will receive a severance check in the mail, along with the predetermined percentage from the sale."

Duncan flopped down back down in his chair and looked up at Christian.

"So that's it," asked Duncan?

Christian actually sympathized with the young man a little bit.

"Yeah, that's it," said Christian.

Avis felt for Duncan as well and touched Duncan's shoulder. Duncan stood up again and they both walked out together. Avis planned to offer the young man some advice if he allowed him to do it.

Christian didn't realize his wolf was in the back of his mind until they left. The meeting must have bored him enough to retreat. Christian smiled. His wolf was an animal; of course a non-combative conversation would disinterest him. He decided in that moment that he wouldn't allow himself to think about Jack. Anna was right; all they could do was wait for him to show up.

Kate rushed toward Anna when she walked into the apartment. Her friend could be so dramatic. Anna was only gone one night. Kate lifted up the bribe Christian gave her and Anna was in awe. The purse was very stylish and business appropriate. It was also large. Anna would have thought Kate would hate that, but Kate said she loved it.

"I can fit everything in here now!"

Anna smiled.

"That's great, but don't expect this anymore."

Kate frowned.

"You told him not to bribe me anymore."

"Yes."

"Okay, I suppose you're right."

Kate wrapped her arms around the purse and used one hand to pet it. Anna shook her head.

"So, do you want me to make you something?"

"Can you," asked Kate with a pleasant smile.

Would Kate eat without Anna's cooking? Oh; that's right, there's fast food and take out.

Anna took off her jacket and walked toward the kitchen. She may decide to keep it simple or she may make something extravagant. She chose grilled chicken, potatoes and spinach. As always, she seasoned everything just how she liked it and served it. Kate placed her purse in the empty chair beside her and Anna gave Kate a look. Kate picked up her purse and placed it in the living room.

"You're too much," said Anna.

"I know, but you love it," said Kate.

Anna rolled her eyes.

Kate cut into the moist chicken and took a bite. It was so good. The potatoes were also cooked just right. Kate moaned as Anna took a bite of her own food.

"What am I supposed to do when you're gone," asked Kate?

Kate's tone was light, but her face turned serious. They couldn't avoid it. Anna and Kate would were going to leave each other one day. Anna reached for Kate's hand and squeezed it.

"You can't keep doing this. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

Kate nodded her head.

"I know, I'm not even thinking about that. It's just I'm getting really close with Elliot and I don't think I'm ready to take that next step so soon. I don't want to leave you."

Anna felt relieved, Kate wasn't afraid of losing Anna. She just didn't know if she was ready to settle down.

"You'll be fine. We both love Seattle, so we'll always be close. You're also being presumptuous."

Kate's mouth dropped.

"Anna!"

"What?! You Elliot haven't been dating that long."

"Ouch."

"Sorry. Do you feel better?"

Kate thought about how she felt for a moment.

"I actually do."

Kate started eating her food again; Anna could see that Kate felt better. Her friend may appear selfish at times, but Anna knew Kate cared about her more than anything else. She was a good friend.

Anna sat up against her bedpost and connected with Christian. He accepted her into his mind and they were now aware of each other's thoughts.

 _I'm sorry about the app._

 _What? Oh, that's right, I'm thinking about it so you can sense it._

 _Yeah. Is that okay?_

 _Its fine, I wish I could trust them, but I can't._

 _Well, they shouldn't have lied._

 _I know._

 _Do you just want to talk about something else tonight?_

 _Sure, why not?_ _What did you even do all day today?_

He heard her laugh.

 _I basically made up stuff; created random reports, etc._

 _Well, if you ever need a job_

 _Don't even, Christian._

 _I'm just trying to help my woman._

 _Thank you, but I'm fine._

 _I know that already._

Maybe they could do this. Have one night without worry. It felt nice.

Jack stood in front of Michelle. She actually looked peaceful as she slept. He nudged her with his foot and she jerked awake. Horror filled her eyes.

"Don't worry," he said. "I have more important things to do first."

He knelt down in front of her and held the back of her head. She gasped and looked away. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Oh, Anna, I can't wait to see you again."

 **Thanks for reading! First I want to apologize for the technically difficulties last week. I could read the reviews, but I could not respond to them, not unless it was emailed to me directly. Thank you for writing them! I read every review.**

 **I wanted to address some of the questions in some of the reviews here:**

 **Anna could find Jack at any moment, but Anna is playing nice. She doesn't want to read him unless she knows for sure he is an actual threat. Right now, he's just a cowardly creep to her. She doesn't want to cross that line yet.**

 **Its official, Anna will allow Christian to take Jack out if necessary, but Jack may force Anna's hand, we'll find out.**

 **I apologize for the delay; Chapter 40 will be posted tomorrow.**

 **I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!**

 **As always I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

Jack walked in the office with a wide smile on his face. Anna stood up to greet him as he walked toward her desk. She smiled to keep up appearances. No one else at the office knew about their current problem.

"Good morning, Jack," said Anna.

He stopped in front of her desk.

"Good morning, Anna. I've missed this place. How is everything? Is there anything I need to know about?"

She had no idea what to say. He hadn't told her anything so she didn't know anything.

"From what I know everything should be fine."

He smiled again.

"That's a good answer. You're right; I've been a bad editor. I'll see what I missed. We may have a lot of work ahead of us."

He walked to his office door, opened the door and walked inside. The door was left open as usual. Hannah and Anna glanced at each other. All Anna could do now was wait for his next move. She sent Christian a quick text to let him know that Jack was back in the office and he seemed normal. Christian responded to her text and asked if she was okay. She said she was fine and Christian told her to contact him if anything happened. She smiled; he was so protective for her.

She replied: _Of course, I love you._

He responded: _I love you too._

She placed her cell phone back on her desk. When she looked back up at her computer, she saw multiple emails from Jack. He was right; they had a lot to catch up on. He also sent her two manuscripts to print out and read. He wanted summaries on both of them tomorrow morning. He emailed that if it didn't grab her in the first fifty pages, she could let him know and stop reading it. She wanted to shake her head. No, she would do her job, plus she had super powers and can read them easily.

Since she and Jack had sooo much to do that day; they both kept busy. They didn't see or speak to each other again until they left for the day. She put on her jacket, placed her purse on her shoulder and turned toward Jack's door. She walked toward his door and leaned into his office. He looked up at her and smiled.

"Is there anything else, you need from me," she asked?

He took a moment to think about it. She had no idea what was coming and he loved playing this game.

"No, just make sure you have those summaries tomorrow. Please don't feel like you need to read them if they're not worth it. We'll make an exception this time."

"Alright, they'll be ready."

"You're going to try to read them both aren't you?"

"Yes."

He laughed.

"Okay, have a good night."

"You too."

Anna walked away. Maybe Jack had changed? He could have left to clear his head and figure himself out. Still, she wouldn't let her guard down around him. Only time would tell if his change was genuine or not.

Anna stopped in her tracks when she saw Christian standing right outside the front door. She gently held onto one of his arms and walked him back to the car. He had wild look in his eyes. If anyone saw him, they would have crossed the street.

"What are you doing," she whispered?

"I wanted to make sure you're okay," he said.

Taylor opened the back door for them.

"As you can see I'm okay."

They both sat down in the back seat and Taylor closed the door.

"You were late, so I wanted to be ready," he said.

Her eyes widened.

"For what?"

He gave her a 'you know what' look.

Now was not the time to fight. He was already upset and she could understand why he was worried. She rubbed his arm to help calm him down; she felt his muscles relax.

"I told you I would let you know."

"I know, I know."

Now that Jack was back, the threat was real again. Christian knew that Jack liked to play games and his return was suspect. Jack could try to attack them tonight for all Christian knew. Christian didn't want Anna to be alone. He quickly turned to face her. She raised her hand before he could speak.

"No, I can't come over tonight."

"Under the circumstances…"

"There were no circumstances. Today was normal. I have no reason to think he's out to get us."

"Anna…"

"No, we can have dinner if you like."

He looked straight ahead and didn't even try to hide his pouting.

"Taylor, please take us to Margo's please."

"You can't get in there without a reservation."

He looked at her.

"Oh, that's right."

He finally cracked a smile.

"You can be so cruel at times," he said.

"That is never my intention," she said.

Dinner was nice. Between the energy of the restaurant and all of the conversations going on around them, they were forced to live in the moment a little. Christian was a little bothered by Anna's change of heart regarding Jack. No one could change that quickly. Even a person in fear kept their same mentality; they just didn't overtly show it. Jack had to be planning something.

"You should eat something," she said.

He cut into his steak and took a bite.

"You should eat more."

He cut another piece of steak and took another bite. She smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. When she sat back down, she saw his beautiful smile.

"Stop trying to make me feel better," he said.

"I can't help it."

He shook his head and began to eat his food.

Taylor parked the car in front of Anna's apartment. She kissed Christian and opened the door. When she stepped out of the car, she heard the other back door open and close.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm staying here with you."

"Are you serious, you're that worried?"

"Yes, I'll buy Kate something."

"No you won't. How do I explain this? You can't go up there."

He gave his best 'I am not pleased look' and she didn't care one bit. He was not going up there.

"Fine, but I want you to contact me as soon as you can."

He meant telepathically.

"I will, now go."

He pouted again and opened the back door.

"I love you," she said when he closed the door.

"Love you too."

Anna walked into the apartment and saw Kate watching television. Anna flopped down beside Kate and rested her head on Kate's shoulder.

"Netflix," asked Anna?

Kate had just started a random movie. She had worked on a few articles tonight so she didn't want to watch something she needed to think about. She'd save her favorite T.V. shows for later. She yawned.

"If you're tired, why don't you go to bed," asked Anna?

"I don't want to, I want to half watch a movie with my best friend," said Kate.

Anna exhaled.

"Okay."

Kate fell asleep five minutes later, but Anna was actually interested in the movie. It was a cheaply made science fiction film, but story itself was interesting. Anna gently scooted away from Kate and continued to watch the movie. She also opened her mind to Christian to see how he was doing.

 _Christian?_

 _Anna._

 _Don't ask, you know I don't mind._

 _Okay. Do you want to watch a movie with me?_

 _What?_

 _I'm watching this cheap sci-fi horror film. It's not bad._

 _I hate science fiction._

 _Really?_

 _Yeah._

 _Okay, then._

 _But I can watch it. It's the company I like._

 _You're so sweet._

Christian also had other plans. He behaved for a while and watched the movie through her eyes. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either. He saw Kate sleeping out of the corner of Anna's eye. Moments later, she heard him sigh.

 _I can let you go._

 _No, I want to stay._

 _Okay, then be quiet._

 _Ouch._

They continued to watch the film. He was really trying to watch it with her, but it just wasn't his thing.

Suddenly, she felt slight pressure on her shoulder.

 _What are you doing Christian?_

 _We're watching a movie, right? This is what you do when you're watching a movie._

 _Kate is right here._

 _Its fine, she won't wake up._

 _How do you know?_

 _Because you know; we're connected remember?_

Anna glanced at Kate and scooted further over. She felt his hand squeeze one of her breasts and she bit her lip. He imagined himself leaning down in front of her. She felt his hands rubbing her thighs and she opened them slightly.

 _This feels so good; I love that I can touch you._

His hand rubbed her pussy and she held back her moan as she looked back at Kate. Kate was still out. She gently pushed back against the couch as his two fingers pushed inside her; soon he rubbed against her clitoris which almost sent her over. Why did she agree to do this? She licked her lips.

 _Oh so you want to lick._

 _I didn't say…oh._

It felt as though her pants were pulled down, but they remained on her. She felt his mouth on her vagina and a hold on her legs. For now, he only wanted his mouth to be the cause of her pleasure. She covered her mouth with one hand. It felt so good. She looked over at Kate again and her eyes turned white. She wasn't going to be able to hold back any longer. If Kate woke up, she would see an illusion of Anna watching the film.

 _Oh Christian, keep going…_

He pushed in and continued to lick and caress her center with his mouth. Soon she felt the vibration from his moans and she closed her eyes. Fuck the movie. She pussy tightened and released with a wave of pleasure, but he didn't stop. She yelled out and each move he made against her core sent another wave of ecstasy through her, it was too much.

 _Stop._

He removed his head from her and kissed her. She tasted her own juices in his mouth.

 _How are you so good at this?_

 _Do you really want to know?_

 _It was a rhetorical question._

 _I know._

She smiled. Now it was her turn. Christian tried to distract himself by working late in his office. He jerked in his chair when he felt her lips on his cock. He looked down for a moment, of course she wasn't there; it just felt so real. He leaned back in his chair. She had become so good at this. He felt pressure on his thighs; she was going to ride him. Her hand gently touched the side of his face. He looked up as if he could see her, then he closed his eyes. Her pussy was so tight and wet for him. He gripped the arm rests on his chair to stay in his seat.

He felt her hips rub against his as his penis was forced to move against her rhythm. Her slick core slipped around his cock and he almost came undone. He gently placed his hands onto her hips and continued to let her lead them. She began to moan with each movement she made. He leaned into her chest and enjoyed how it brushed against his chin.

 _Anna..._

 _You feel so good._

He felt his actual erection push against his pants and he came in his mind. He opened his eyes and leaned forward. He placed one hand on the desk to steady himself; he nearly fell out of the chair. His clothes were almost ruined from the sweat that drenched them.

She enjoyed every wave of pleasure that cascaded on her. When their breathing had returned to normal, Anna looked over and saw that Kate had not woken up and the film had ended. Anna lightly shook Kate's shoulder. Kate slowly opened her eyes.

"I missed it, didn't I," asked Kate?

"Yeah, but you didn't miss much," said Anna.

Kate stood up, stretched and yawned.

"By the way, I'm kidnapping you tomorrow. Christian can come though. Elliot will be there"

Anna couldn't hide her surprise.

"Elliot and I are going out and we want you guys to come with."

 _Damn it_ , said Christian.

Sounds great, said Anna.

 **Thanks for reading! So Kate has decided to reclaim the day she's lost. She can be so spiteful at times. At least Christian will be there. All he wanted was to be with Anna, right?**

 **Jack is playing games as usual, but a surprise attack won't give him too much of an advantage.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty One

At first, Christian was surprised to receive a call from Elliot, then Christian realized why Elliot had called him. Elliot called him to tease him about Kate taking Anna out on Friday. Elliot heard his brother's sigh as he answered his phone.

"Hey, bro," said Elliot pleasantly.

"Hello, Elliot."

"Elliot? Okay, I see that you're in a mood."

"I'm not in a mood, I'm at work and you called my office phone to play around."

Elliot placed his free hand on his chest for his own amusement as he pretended to be offended by Christian's comment. Elliot did everything, but laugh in his brother's face. He knew that would not be tolerated, no matter how silly the situation. Christian was starting to get bored, but he remained polite and gave his brother half of his attention.

"You know I have to buy her something better now, right?"

Christian stopped reviewing his reports. Was Elliot offended by what he did? Christian didn't even think how that may look to Elliot. He sat up in his chair.

"I meant no disrespect."

"Whoa, I didn't think you did; Anna's your mate. I know you didn't mean anything by it."

Christian relaxed his posture.

"Good."

Christian remembered the conversation he had with Elliot earlier. Had Elliot made a decision about Kate? Revealing oneself to anyone came with many consequences if the person didn't accept your supernatural side. Christian didn't think Kate was ready to know about their family, but he would respect Elliot's decision.

"How are you doing? Have you decided anything?"

"You mean about Kate?"

"Yes."

Elliot stood on the outside patio and looked straight ahead at the beautiful breezy view. He and Kate were both still young and even though they had strong feelings for each other, neither of them had even discussed becoming exclusive yet. The time wasn't right. He squeezed the top metal bar and heard it strain. He looked down at his hand and removed his hand from the railing. What if he slipped like that with Kate. He hoped he could tell her one day, but that day was not today.

"I'm going to wait awhile, see where this goes. I need to know where we stand first."

Christian closed his eyes for a moment; he was so relieved.

"I think that's for the best right now."

"I know."

Christian could hear the disappointment in his brother's voice. He knew how hard it was to hide a part of yourself from the person you loved. The constant effort to pretend to be human in an intimate relationship was a heavy burden. Christian couldn't imagine how his mother did it for all these years, but she did. It was possible to mate with a human and be completely happy.

"Elliot when you think you're ready again, I think you should talk to mom. She knows better than any of us how to make a relationship like that work."

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"Of course, it does, I'm always right."

Elliot laughed.

"I can't bring myself to say that even though it's true."

"That's alright."

Christian started to enjoy himself. He wasn't one to talk that much, but since Anna, he had become more comfortable with talking casually to others. He smiled slightly, she was truly the best thing that had happened to him.

The office was quiet and normal like yesterday. She was given enough work to stay somewhat busy, but Jack was even less interactive today. She wasn't upset by it. If he had to keep his distance to behave, then so be it.

"Anna, can I see you for a moment," asked Jack?

Anna had no idea what Jack wanted from her, but she kept her cool. She picked up her notebook and pen and walked to his office. He sat behind his desk and told her to leave the door open. She felt less apprehensive when he chose to leave the door open. He wouldn't try anything so publicly. He read something off his computer monitor and looked up at her.

"Thank you for meeting with me," he said.

"No problem," she said.

He picked up her summary and scanned through it again.

"I'm in a little on the fence about your recommendation. Why do you think I should present this story?"

Was he actually having a legitimate conversation with her? She held back her smile. Maybe everything had changed for the better and now she could focus on her career again. She discussed how the author's vivid descriptions placed her in every scene. The author was in complete control of the story and that confidence was illustrated all the way through it. He simply listened. The character was charismatic, but flawed at the same time. Simply put, people would love to read this story.

"Okay, I'm convinced," he said with a smile.

Anna brightened up as well. If the book was published, she would have an unofficial credit for getting it produced.

"I need a few more things."

"Of course."

Anna readied her pen to write down what she needed to do. He asked her to research the author, the author's current fan base and create financial report regarding the potential target audience spending habits.

She walked back to her desk and started to research the information. This could take all day and bleed into the next day. She smiled to herself. She was finally working on an actual project. She looked over at Hannah. Hannah must have overheard some of the conversation because Hannah have Anna a quick thumbs up. Anna smiled at Hannah and they both returned to work.

During Anna's last hour of work, Kate kept sending Anna various happy face emoji's to signal how happy she was about tonight. After a while, Anna felt that Kate was simply being obnoxious.

She looked back towards Jack's office and walked towards it. She hadn't opened her mind to him, but her natural intuition sensed something. She walked slowly toward his door and glanced inside. He looked up at her immediately; she had forgotten for a moment that he was a werewolf.

"Is it quitting time, already," he asked?

"Yes, unless you have something else you need me to do," she said.

He smiled at her.

"Not at the moment. I'd like an update on the reports on Monday and we can finalize everything by Tuesday. That way I can set up a meeting towards the middle of the week. Sounds good?"

"It sounds great."

"Have a greet weekend, Anna."

"You too."

"I plan to."

Anna called Christian as she rode back to her apartment. She warned him not to pout or act out when they met or Kate would make them stay longer. He reminded her that he didn't pout. She reminded him that he pouted regularly and everyone noticed it. His mouth dropped, he was genuinely shocked by what she said.

"I just want to spend as much time with you as I can this weekend," she said.

"Me too," he said desperately.

"Then smile and keep your mouth shut."

"I will do my best. Why can't I have Taylor pick everyone up again?"

Anna smiled. He just had to control something.

"It doesn't make since. You're already there, it's back tracking."

"Okay, fine. I know Kate wouldn't have it anyway."

"See, you're learning."

"I'm a quick study."

Anna and Christian said their temporary good byes just before her Uber driver parked in front of her apartment. She gave her driver a tip as she walked up to her apartment. As she walked down the hallway towards her apartment, she heard a loud mumble of _More, More, More_ , by Andrea True. The closer she walked towards her apartment door, the louder the mumble. Anna opened the door and saw Kate dancing in the living room; she was already dressed for a night out on the town. Anna scowled at her. This was getting to be too much. Kate walked to the small blue tooth speaker and turned it off. Anna folded her arms in front of her.

"Are you celebrating," asked Anna?

Kate did her best to look embarrassed.

"No…"

"I'm going to get ready."

Anna all but stomped to her bedroom to get ready for this farce. Only her best friend, Kate, could get away with something like this.

Anna, Kate and Elliot walked into Armani-B, a new posh club. There was more drinking and networking then dancing. She must have chosen it to make Christian feel more comfortable which was sweet. Speaking of Christian, he had yet to arrive. Anna knew Christian wouldn't bail on her, but she was beginning to worry. Kate reserved them a table in the VIP section. As soon as Kate sat down, she yelled out. Elliot and Anna shook their heads. A waitress walked up to them moments later and Elliot handed the waitress his credit card to start a tab. Kate ordered herself an Apple martini. Anna ordered a Strawberry Daiquiri and Elliot ordered a beer.

Anna did her best to look around for Christian, but still hadn't seen him. Kate and Elliot were already in each other's arms. Kate took a sip of her drink and laughed. Elliot smiled. They were so happy together.

"He'll be here, he wouldn't dare flake on you," said Kate.

Anna looked over at Kate. Kate looked past Anna as if she saw something and smiled.

"Like I said…"

Anna turned and saw Christian walk toward them. He looked so different. He wore a grey sweater that fit his lean muscular fame perfectly and a pair of dark blue jeans she never knew he owned. If she found out he actually wore tennis shoes, she may pass out. Anna bit her lip, Christian smiled.

"Did you just bite your lip," asked Kate?

Anna didn't respond. She looked up at Christian as he towered over her. He leaned down and gave her a long kiss before he sat down in the chair beside her. He reached for his wallet to take out his credit card. Elliot gently touched his brother's hand.

"I already started a tab," said Elliot.

Christian nodded and put his wallet back in his denim pocket. She still couldn't get over the fact that he was wearing jeans! He placed his arm around her shoulder and said 'hi' to Kate and Elliot. Kate looked at them smiled. Anna and Christian didn't look like they would fit as couple at all, but here they were. It was beautiful to witness.

"So, how do you like the place," asked Kate?

"It's nice, not what I expected," said Christian.

Kate smiled.

"Do you want something to drink," asked Elliot.

"Water," said Christian.

Everyone gave Christian a look.

"What," asked Christian?

Christian actually looked like he was enjoying himself. Suddenly, Anna noticed Christian's eyes waver slightly; he turned toward Anna and smiled. Kate and Elliot were eyeing each other and didn't notice Christian's look. Anna had a feeling that Christian wanted her to connect with him so she opened herself to him.

 _He's here._

 _Who?_

 _Jack._

 **Thanks for reading! This chapter had a lot of set up, but Jack has made his move. Or has he? The moment he does strike, he's done. Christian and Anna really don't want Kate and Elliot to be involved in this mess. Hopefully, that can be avoided.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty Two

Anna took a sip of her drink and Christian stirred his glass of water. Kate and Elliot were still involved with each other; Anna guessed that Kate would be ready to leave soon.

 _Where is he_ , asked Anna?

 _He's near the front, it could be a coincidence, but I doubt it_ , said Christian.

Anna was impressed that Christian was trying to give Jack the benefit of the doubt. Of course, she didn't believe it one bit, but she appreciated it just the same. Anna glanced at Kate. Kate and Elliot finally returned their attention back to the entire table.

"So, are you guys read to go? I can ride with Elliot. Christian, do you mind letting Anna ride with you?"

Christian smiled.

"You're too kind," said Christian.

Kate rolled his eyes at him. Anna gently touched Christian's thigh to keep him from reacting to Kate's eye roll.

"Well, I hope you guys had fun!"

"We did," said Anna and Christian in unison.

Kate and Elliot eyed them. Christian and Anna hoped that they didn't think something was up. Kate was either too horney to care or honestly didn't notice Anna and Christian's rising apprehension.

"Okay, then," said Kate.

Kate stood up first and everyone else followed suit. Kate and Anna hugged and Christian and Elliot shook hands. Christian gently pulled Anna close.

 _He has to know we're here,_ said Christian.

Anna didn't know what to think, it could honestly be a coincidence. Jack wasn't required to tell her what he did in his personal life. Both of the couples walked out of the entrance; Kate and Elliot turned to walk towards Elliot's car. Anna and Christian were able to wait out front. By the time they reached the entrance Jack had left. Now Christian knew something was up.

 _I don't like this_ , said Christian.

 _I don't either_ , said Anna.

Both were relieved that Kate and Elliot didn't see Jack. Taylor pulled up and parked in front of Anna and Christian. Christian had no time for pleasantries and opened the back door. Taylor sensed Anna and Christian's emotions immediately and looked back in the rearview mirror.

"Is everything alright," asked Taylor.

"We don't know yet," said Christian. "I want you to drive around for a bit become returning to my apartment."

Taylor nodded his head and drove.

Anna held Christian's hand and squeezed it. Was tonight the night? Anna thought about what Jack had said to her earlier that evening. _I plan to_... Was this plan? She shook her head. Why would anyone want to hurt anyone else? Anna had done nothing to deserve this. She glanced at Christian. Could Christian really do it? What if killing Jack affected him. Christian had discussed his worries about her, but she started to have her own doubts. Christian had hunted and killed an animal in cold blood, maybe that bloodlust could be awakened again.

 _You don't have to worry about me_ , said Christian.

Anna jumped. She hadn't severed their connection. She quickly closed her mind off from him.

He looked at her.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be, it's a valid concern," said Christian. "If I had doubts, I would have told you."

"I know."

Taylor continued drive. Jack was nowhere near them. After twenty minutes of driving, Christian asked Taylor to take them home. Anna leaned on Christian's shoulder. Both of them slowly began to relax. If Jack was up to something, it was doubtful he planned to do anything tonight. Taylor parked in the parking spot and looked back at Christian. Christian was surprised that Taylor didn't park in front of the elevator.

"I need to know what's going on," said Taylor.

Anna was shocked by Taylor's authoritative tone and Christian was pleasantly surprised. They hadn't officially told Taylor about Jack yet. Christian looked at Anna and Anna nodded her head.

"This stays between us for now," said Christian. "Alexa doesn't need to know."

Taylor never intended on telling Alexa anything, but he understood why Christian felt he had to say it.

"Of course."

Christian told Taylor about Jack's behavior. Taylor balled his hands into fist and growled. Taylor wanted to shift and hunt Jack down himself. Christian asked Taylor to calm down and Taylor took a deep breath to keep himself from losing control completely.

"Why is he still alive," asked Taylor?

Both Anna and Christian's eyes widened. Maybe they were right to keep this from Taylor. If Jack had to be handled, he needed to be handled carefully. Killing Jack could draw a lot of unwanted attention to them if Jack wasn't taken care of properly.

"It's alright, he can't hurt me, remember?"

"That's not the point," said Christian and Taylor in unison.

Anna smiled.

"It's still the truth."

"I plan to take care of it, if it's necessary," said Christian.

Taylor nodded his head in agreement and pulled out of the parking lot. Christian was relieved that he was able to calm Taylor down. Taylor was more wolf than man when Christian met him in the woods near his cabin one night. Christian was well aware that Taylor would have no trouble tracking Jack and finishing him off.

Taylor graciously dropped Christian and Anna off by the elevator and drove away. Anna surprised Christian and pulled him into a hug. He hugged her back. Was Anna afraid? He tightened his grip.

"What is it," he asked?

"It's not what you think, I'm not afraid of him, I'm afraid of what might happen…"

"To us."

"Yeah."

He kissed the top of her head.

"Nothing is going to happen to us. We're too strong."

She hoped that was true because if she sensed any darkness in him, she planned to take Jack out herself. Jack was her problem and she wouldn't allow Christian to lose himself over her mistake. He held her hand and pressed the button to elevator. When the door opened, Christian's posture became rigid and he quickly let go of Anna's hand.

Jack walked toward them with a smile on his face. Christian looked at Jack's hands and noticed they were in his pockets. Christian glanced at the camera's in the parking lot, the ones nearest to them were disabled. Jack planned to strike now. Jack appeared behind Anna and sneered at Christian. Christian looked around again. Jack wasn't stupid, he didn't plan to try anything here. Jack pulled Anna close and Anna looked up at Christian. Christian looked back at her and at Jack. Anna felt something pointing against her back.

"I need to borrow her for a while if you don't mind," said Jack.

"You're not going anywhere," said Christian.

Christian took a step forward. He didn't care that his eyes glowed.

"Leave now and I'll let you run," said Christian.

Jack pushed the blade against Anna's back. Anna pretended to be afraid and jumped.

"Christian, he has a knife," she said.

"Well, I knew a gun wouldn't work, so had to be sure," said Jack.

"About what," asked Christian?

"I know what she is and now I can have her," said Jack.

Christian was confused, but he didn't' show it. If Jack knew who Anna was, he would have known that he couldn't hurt her. Christian's eyes stopped glowing.

"What do you want," asked Christian?

Jack smiled, he liked feeling in control.

Jack used his free hand to throw a pair of car keys at Christian. Christian caught it easily. Jack told him where to go and followed behind Christian. Anna hadn't opened a channel to him, but he knew they were in agreement. They planned to let Jack take them to a secluded place so Christian could finish him off there. Christian opened the door.

"You first, but don't turn the car on," said Jack.

Christian did as he was told. Jack and Anna slid into the back seat together. Anna looked at Christian through the rearview mirror. Jack placed the lover's blade to her neck. Anna winced. Even though the threat wasn't real, Christian still reacted to it. He wanted to kill Jack right there and get it over with. Jack shut the door.

"Press the button on the GPS and drive; don't draw any attention."

Jack placed the blade against Anna's stomach. Christian sneered and put the car in drive. He couldn't kill Jack soon enough.

As Christian drove, Anna read Jack and saw all the horror he had caused. He had countless female victims, women who looked like his ex-assistants. He wanted to hurt them, but he knew better. Anna's confrontation agitated him; he never lost to a human. He was willing to lose everything just to kill her. Jack knew Christian would retaliate so he planned to kill them both. She covered her mouth and fought back her tears. All those missing women. Michelle…

"Are you okay, Anna," asked Christian?

"Quiet," said Jack.

Christian growled.

"What was that," asked Jack as he pressed the blade into Anna's stomach.

"Nothing," said Christian harshly.

Anna closed herself from Jack. She had what she needed from him. He needed to die. Christian parked the car across from a cabin. Christian could smell a lot of old blood and a woman. The bastard had been torturing an innocent female. Christian gripped the steering wheel. Christian planned to handle Jack as soon as possible.

"Hand me the keys and stay in the car," said Jack.

Christian handed Jack the keys and waited. Jack kept the knife on Anna and pulled her out of the car. She fell to the ground. Jack pulled her up and held the knife at her throat again. Anna was really getting annoyed by his antics. He ordered Christian out of the car.

"Careful," said Jack.

Christian stepped out of the car with raised hands. Christian thought his act of surrender would put Jack's mind at ease and cause him to let down his guard a little. Even though Anna would survive the wound, Christian still didn't want to see her injured.

"Why are you doing this," asked Anna?

Jack smiled, leaned against Anna and smelled her hair.

"That's not your concern," said Jack.

"He's a coward," said Christian.

Jack pulled away and glared at Christian.

"What did you say," asked Jack?

"You heard me," said Christian.

"If that knife wasn't at my woman's throat, you'd already be dead."

"Okay."

Jack stabbed Anna in the back and twisted the blade. Anna fell to the ground and closed her eyes closed. Christian yelled out rushed towards her. Jack backed up and knelt down beside a nearby tree. Christian already started to change.

"I'm going to rip you apart," he yelled in an unnatural voice.

Jack picked up the hidden gun he placed in a heavily scented box. He shot Christian in the shoulder and knee. Christian fell the ground. His body was now focused on healing and shifting would be difficult. Jack walked up to Christian and placed the gun in front of Christian's face.

"Too bad you pissed me off; we could have had some fun," said Jack.

Christian growled.

"Look at the knife," said Christian.

"It's called a lover's blade, it's the reason why Anna is dying a few feet away from you."

Christian laughed. Jack had no idea why. Had Christian lost his mind?

"Is that what it's called?"

"Yeah."

"Look at it."

Jack looked down at the blade and saw that there was no blood on it.

"How…"

Jack looked toward Anna's body; it had disappeared. Anna's eyes were completely white as she stood behind Jack. Jack dropped the knife and gun and turned around to face her. It was over. He swallowed hard and looked at her with fear in his eyes. With one hand, Anna picked Jack up by his neck and lifted him off the ground.

"Anna don't," yelled Christian!

Christian wasn't reaching her. Jack had done too much harm to others. His neck felt so feeble in her hand. Christian struggled to stand up. He had to reach her before she snapped Jack's neck.

 **Thanks for reading! Anna is at the brink of destruction and Christian is doing all he can to bring back her from the edge. He can't let Anna become corrupted. Will he be able to get through to her?**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews comments and constructive criticism.**


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty Three

Christian gritted his teeth; he had to figure out how to get her attention. Yelling wasn't working; he didn't have much time. What would make Anna respond to him? He looked at her again. Jack was still alive, she didn't want to do it. She just needed to regain control. Christian knew he couldn't fake his pain so he dug into his bloody knee and squeezed. He yelled out and his eyes glowed. She looked toward him. He did his best to look pitiful; only he didn't have to try hard to do it.

"Anna, please, help me," said Christian.

Her eyes slowly returned to normal.

"Christian…"

He groaned and sat up slightly.

"I need you," said Christian. "Please…"

She lowered Jack to the ground. Jack stood up quickly and turned to run away.

"Don't move," she said.

Jack froze in place. He had no idea how this was possible. Anna should be dead or at least weakened, but the blade had done nothing to her. She walked toward Christian and knelt down in front of him. He smiled at her.

"Thank you," he said.

She kissed him and he held onto her.

"I lost my edge, I can't do it anymore," she said.

"Good, heal me and I'll take care of it," he said.

She didn't move. He eyed her and wondered why she hadn't healed him yet. Jack had proven that he was too dangerous to remain alive. Christian had to kill Jack.

"I don't want either of us to do it," she said.

He had no idea what she meant. If neither of them took care of Jack, he'd be set free.

"I need you to trust me," she said.

Christian always trusted her with all of his heart.

"I trust you," said Christian.

Her eyes flashed white for a moment and his wounds healed instantly. They both stood up together. He had no idea what her plan was, but he would allow her to do it. She closed her eyes and a large wind blew a few feet in front of them. Jack couldn't turn his head to see what was happening. Was she going to send him into a void? He finally realized she was capable of anything. He was such a fool.

The wind stopped and Corin appeared. He knelt to the ground and looked around. When he saw Anna and Christian, he became less apprehensive. He cleared his throat and placed his hands in his pockets. A mannerism, Christian did often. Anna looked over at Christian. Christian refused to acknowledge the similar gesture. Corin smelled blood and saw his son's blood-stained clothes. Corin moved quickly and appeared in front of his son. Corin knew he couldn't touch Christian.

"What happened, who did this," asked Corin?

Jack sensed the other wolf's rage and it made him tremble. He was in the presence of powerful alpha and he just called Christian son. Jack was finished.

"I'm fine, I was shot, but Anna healed me," said Christian.

"Who shot you?!"

Both Anna and Christian winced from the force of Corin's words. Corin's eyes glowed. He was done asking questions. Someone better tell him what happened right now. Anna looked at Christian. So, this was her plan? She wanted to Corin to take care of Jack. Christian wished they had spoken about this earlier. Now, they would be in Corin's debt and Christian doubted that Anna had any idea of what that could entail. Christian looked at his father and told him everything. Corin listened intently and kept his emotions in check. When Christian finished speaking. Corin's growled and turned his entire body toward Jack. Jack was terrified.

"Is this true," asked Corin?

Jack was too afraid to lie.

"Yes," said Jack.

"Release him," said Corin.

Anna released her hold on Jack and Jack fell to the ground. Jack staggered back on his legs and hands. Corin walked towards him slowly. Jack wouldn't dare run, he was too scared to even stand up.

"Who are you," asked Jack?

Corin smiled.

"I am the alpha king of this entire region."

Jack mouth dropped, he was dumbfounded. He knew so little about his own heritage, but it didn't change the fact that his wolf knew to tremble before such a powerful alpha. Jack didn't see mercy in Corin's eyes. Corin wasn't like Christian, he had no reservation. Corin was going to kill him.

"Wait! I have to accept the challenge, you can't kill me out right."

"I didn't challenge you, you have nothing to offer."

"Then I challenge you."

Corin stopped in his tracks. Jack had surprised him. Christian and Anna were shocked as well. What was Jack up to?

"I challenge you; if I win, you spare me and I'll leave for good."

Corin simply stared at the coward. What would it hurt?

"I accept."

Christian took a step forward and Anna placed her hand on his chest. Christian didn't want Jack to have a chance to escape. He would just try something again; even though it wouldn't work, Anna may not be able to be held back next time.

"Trust him," said Anna to Christian.

Christian looked down at Anna and back at Corin and Jack.

"You can shift now," said Corin.

Jack shifted quickly and growled in front of Corin. Corin didn't react in the slightest. He also hadn't shifted. Jack leaned down to strike, but didn't make another move. Corin folded his arms over chest and waited. When Jack realized that Corin didn't plan to shift, he thought he had a real chance to win. Jack ran and jumped toward Corin. Corin caught Jack by his throat. Jack whimpered. Corin fangs extended and his eyes glowed.

"You're lucky they're here or I would have done far worse."

Corin used his other hand to hold onto Jack's muzzle and ripped Jack's head off. Corin howled as he held Jack's head in one hand and his limp body in the other. Christian didn't flinch, but Anna turned her face toward Christian and leaned into his chest. Christian held Anna in his arms to comfort her. Corin dropped Jack's remains on the ground and walked toward Christian and Anna. Corin calmed himself and forced his eyes to stop glowing and his teeth to return to normal.

"I'm sorry," said Corin. "Anna, are you alright?"

Anna turned around to face Corin. Corin was only few feet foot from her and she didn't sense his fear anymore.

"I'm fine, it had to be done; thank you."

Corin looked up at Christian.

"Thank you," said Christian. "I'm in your debt now."

Corin become confused.

"You don't owe me anything for this. You're my son."

Christian's eyes widened. He wasn't expecting his father to do this for nothing. It wasn't Corin's problem. Christian couldn't help, but be touched by his father's kindness, but a small part of Christian still hated himself for it. Corin looked toward the house. Corin wanted to say more, but sensing his son's warmth towards him was good enough for now. Corin sensed the wounded female and turned to face the house.

"There's a woman up there and we're all bloody. I don't think she should see us like this."

"You're right," said Anna.

Still, the woman needed to be saved.

Michelle had closed her eyes since she heard strange noises from a distance. Jack had been yelling in the woods and she hoped he hadn't attacked someone else. Maybe they got away. She heard the door open upstairs. She closed into herself tighter and kept her eyes closed. Unfamiliar footsteps stopped in front of her.

"It's okay, he can't hurt you anymore," said Anna.

Michelle opened her eyes and saw a young woman knelt down in front of her. Michelle looked at Anna, was this a new game? How did this woman get down here? Jack must be close. Michelle turned her head away from Anna.

"I won't fall for it, Jack will be here any minute."

"Jack is gone and he's not coming back."

Michelle looked at the woman again. She might be telling the truth.

"Prove it let me go."

"Of course."

The restraints dropped immediately. Michelle looked down at them and back at the woman.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

Anna stretched out her hands towards Michelle. Michelle hesitated before she raised her hands towards Anna. Anna gently held Michelle's hand and helped her up. Michelle stumbled at first, but she was surprised by how strong she felt. Her pain had gone away. Anna wrapped a bedsheet around Michelle and they walked up stairs.

"What's happening?"

"You're being rescued. The police are on their way."

Michelle's eyes began to tear up. It was really over. She was going home!

"Thank you, thank you…"

Anna used her abilities to make sure the police didn't become too interested in the crime scene. They planned to charge Jack for his crimes, but he will be seen as a fugitive at large. Anna took away any permanent damage that Jack may have caused Michelle and tried to ease her emotional distress. Michelle would still have a long way to go, but Anna could tell Michelle was strong. Anna saw what Michelle did in her mind to make sure she didn't break completely and it worked. She held onto hope and thankfully, she was rescued in time.

Corin and Christian appeared in front of Sierra in their bedroom. Sierra rushed toward them and hugged them both. Christian was a bit surprised by her actions and remained still. She pulled away and looked at them.

"Are you hurt," asked Sierra?

"No, this isn't my blood," said Corin.

Sierra looked at Christian.

"It was my blood, but Anna healed me."

Sierra took a step back and looked at them again. She demanded to know what happened. Christian looked at his father to signal him to tell his wife what happened. Sierra listened, she looked confused for most of it. She looked at Christian and back at Corin. When Corin finished, Sierra looked at Christian and asked why weren't they informed of this sooner.

"My son still doesn't trust me. He'd rather die then ask for my help."

Sierra shook her head. She couldn't blame Christian for not trusting her, but Corin would do anything for him. When would Christian learn that? Alpha males could be so stupid sometimes.

"At the time, I thought it was the best decision," said Christian. "Sierra, may I talk to my father in private for a moment?"

Sierra looked around the bedroom. Where was she supposed to go? Either way, she had to figure it out. She looked at them one last time and walked out of the bedroom. The fact that Christian wanted to talk to Corin privately was a good sign.

"What is it son?"

"I need to know why you did it. If there's something you're not telling me, it will just make everything worse later."

Corin looked at the desperation in his son's eyes. Christian wanted to hold onto his anger and distrust, but Christian couldn't deny what happened either. His father saved Anna and Christian from taking a life. He didn't have to intervene.

"I did it because I knew you weren't ready to do it. I did it to protect you."

"You couldn't know that."

"Well, now we have time to find out."

Christian began pacing the floor. He wasn't ready to see Corin like this. Like a father who would do anything for his son.

"How many wolves have you killed?"

"Hundreds and I've also killed recently. I killed to protect Anna, remember?"

Christian stopped moving and looked at his father.

"Are you saying you accept her now?"

Corin took a moment to choose his words carefully. His feelings had changed slightly. She brought him to there to protect Christian from himself and that showed true concern.

"I am willing to give her a chance now."

Christian shook his head, but he accepted his father's honest answer. At least Anna had a real chance. Not that it mattered. Christian would never leave her for anyone.

"Good."

Silence filled the room for a few moments.

"If you can do that, then I can do the same for you."

Corin's remained still, but his wolf was jumping up and down in pure delight in his mind.

"I appreciate that, son."

"I hope this works."

"Me too."

 **Thanks for reading! So, it finally happened. I was thinking about Corin intervening for a while. I think killing Jack would have deeply affected Anna and Christian, so I took them out of the equation. Full disclosure I was leaning towards Christian up until I wrote this chapter. There was a lot of backspacing, lol. I hope you liked how it turned out.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty Four

Anna appeared in front of two of the strongest men she knew and felt like she interrupted something very important. Corin and Christian slowly turned their heads toward Anna. Anna sheepishly waved hi. She offered to leave and come back. Christian looked at Corin to have him answer the question; after all, it was his bedroom. Corin said it was fine. Anna rushed towards Christian and gave him a hug. It was finally over. Christian held her close. He almost teared up himself, so much had happened; he certainly wasn't ready to accept his father, but he did. There was so much pain he didn't realize he had and suddenly it looked as if it all wanted to bubble to the surface.

"Do you think we can have a normal life now," she asked?

"As normal as it can be," said Christian.

Corin cleared his throat. Anna and Christian pulled away from each other. Corin eyed her.

"Thank you, Anna, for saving my son," said Corin.

"I had to, I love him too," said Anna.

Christian held her at her waist and eyed his father. Christian knew it took a lot for Corin to thank a Fae. Not all Fae were monsters and Corin was slowly starting to realize that.

"May I," asked Anna?

Corin had no idea what she wanted to do, but he nodded his head to allow it. She walked up to him and gave him a gentle hug. Corin looked up at Christian. Christian smiled and shrugged his shoulders. His mate was a sweetheart, what could he say? Corin patted her head, but he did not embrace her. He rarely hugged anyone. She let go of him and took a step back.

"Thank you, you saved us both," said Anna.

Corin cleared his throat again. He had never experienced this much sentimentality.

"You're welcome."

Christian chuckled. Clearly, Corin was becoming uncomfortable.

"We should go sweetheart, my father may die from too much affection," said Christian.

Corin gave Christian a half-hearted glare.

"I've dealt with worse, son."

"You're not acting like it, dad."

Christian grimaced when he said it, it still didn't sound right for him. Corin blinked, that was the first time Christian genuinely acknowledge him as his father.

"I may not say that again for a while," said Christian.

"Well, I don't regret it," said Corin.

"Oh."

Anna started to tear up again.

"Can you get us out of here please," said Christian.

She sniffled and nodded her head.

"Okay."

Anna and Christian appeared in his apartment. Christian fell forward a little. He had never teleported before. Anna held him steady. His eyes bulged out as he looked at her.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know, I just do it."

He stood up straight and looked down at her.

"How often have you done that?"

She looked down in shame.

"A few times, it depends on traffic."

He shook his head. He couldn't judge her for it. As long as she didn't draw attention to herself, it was fine. He had moments when he wanted to shift to get somewhere faster, it just wasn't an option for him.

"Well, I haven't seen you on the news yet, so just be careful."

"Of course."

He looked down at his bloody clothes. Jack could have killed him tonight. He looked back at his mate. She would have lost herself to protect him. He had to become stronger to make sure he never put her in that position again. She titled her head to the side and looked at him.

"You could just read me if you want," he said.

"No, I know you don't want me to know what you're thinking right now," she said.

He smiled at her and pulled his shirt over his head. She looked down at his muscular chest, there were patches of dried blood on his torso. She winched as she thought about his gun shoot wounds. She healed him, but she shouldn't have allowed him to get shot in the first place.

"It's not your fault," he said.

"It feels like it is," she said.

He walked up to her and kissed her on the lips. She leaned into him.

"Let's get cleaned up."

He picked her up and walked to his bedroom. She yelled out in surprised delight and wrapped her arms around his neck. All she could was stare at his beautiful face. He was so strong and vulnerable. She got to see a side of him that no other woman had ever seen and it humbled her. She kissed him on the lips and he stopped in his tracks to kiss her back. He pulled his head back.

"I'm not going to have sex with you like this," he said.

"Who said I was trying to have sex," she asked?

He gave her a 'who are you trying to fool' look and used his speed to nearly appear in front of his shower. He placed her on her feet and unzipped his pants. She watched his every move until he was fully naked. He looked at her and waited for her to take off her clothes.

"Oh, you want me to join you," she asked innocently?

He smiled and slowly pulled back the shower door. He kept his eyes on her as he turned on the shower. She continued to remained dress.

"Do you like that outfit?"

She looked down at her clothes.

"Kind of…"

"I'll buy you another one."

He quickly pulled her into the shower and closed the door. She laughed and froze the water in place. He looked at the frozen droplets of water and smiled.

"That's cheating."

"Is it? Oh well…"

She let allowed the water to run and soak her clothes. He watched her perfect body reveal itself. He caressed her from her breast down to the hem of her dress and slowly lifted her dress to her thigh. She closed her eyes and focused on how smoother his touch felt under the water. She jumped when she felt him nip her thigh with his teeth. Her panties were the first thing to go. He pulled them off and let them fall to her feet. She quickly stepped out of them. He smiled, pushed her against the wall and eased his hand down toward her core. He kissed her neck and massaged her pussy with his hand. She moaned from his touch.

"We almost lost each other today," he said.

"I know, but we didn't let that happen," she said.

She moved her hands to his face and kissed him. He lowered his hand to her breast. He had to touch her body and this stupid dress was getting the way. He moved his hands back to the hem of her dress and ripped it in two. He pulled the pieces of the dress away from her body and let them fall away. She bit her lip with anticipation. He growled and lifted her off the ground; she wrapped her legs around him. They looked in each other's eyes and saw their entire life together, a family, growing old together. Moving away to avoid questions about their age, all of it. He pushed inside her hard and her voice hitched. She wrapped her hands around his neck and held on as he banged against her. Soon the only sensation she felt was his cock in her pussy and she loved it. His own grunts and groans told her that he was enjoying himself.

She allowed one of her arms to lower to his back and felt his muscles contract and he pounded her. He was so strong and sensual.

"Ah…"

Her vagina was becoming sensitive. She would climax soon. Her skin was nearly dry now since he was in front of the shower head. If she were human, she would have been shivering, but she felt fine. She started to scratch his back and he groaned.

"You always feel so good, you drive me crazy," he said.

She wrapped her legs tighter around him. He grimaced a moment, any more movements like that he would come. She leaned her head against him and continued to enjoy his thrusts. She doubted her pussy would accept anyone one else ever. Her core became slick with pleasure and his cock started to react to it. He was so glad to be alive. To touch her to fuck her. He never wanted to lose her. He moved one of his hands to her head and held it.

She was so lost in bliss, she barely registered that he moved his hand. Her pussy felt so good. That familiar warmth started to surround them. She yelled out and blast of energy pushed through them. He held onto the wall to keep from dropping her and falling. His own climax pushed through him and he yelled out.

"Fuck," he said.

"Shit," she said.

She rubbed his back and he let her slip away from him. She stood up, but he kept her trapped between his body. She looked up at him. He was drenched and looked so sexy.

"We really should get cleaned up," she said.

He leaned back and turned off the water. She eyed him.

"The hot water is gone," he said.

She smiled. She was pretty sure he was going to try to have sex with her in the tub, but she was determined to clean that blood off of him first. They walked to the large porcelain tub. She turned on the water and made sure the temperature was just right. She looked around the tub and back at him.

"No bubbles," she asked?

"No, but I'm sure I can get some," he said.

"It's fine…"

She stepped into the tub and lowered herself slowly into it. She saw the soap in the soap dish and picked it up. He remained standing.

"The sooner we get that blood off you, the sooner we can have sex again."

He quickly stepped into the tub and splashed some water on the floor. She laughed.

She took picked up a nearby wash cloth lathered it with soap.

"Turn around," she said.

He leaned toward her to kiss her, she leaned back. They had other things to do at the moment. He turned his back toward her and leaned into her vagina. She gasped, her core was still sensitive.

"Not fair."

"Who said l was fair?"

She squinted her eyes at him and rubbed his chest with the lathered wash cloth. When she moved the cloth back toward her, she saw how his blood stained the cloth. Her eyes turned white for a moment. He turned his head back to look at her.

"Are you okay," he asked?

"No, but I will be," she said.

He saw a tear fall from her eye. She was so scared of losing him. He turned to face her and touched the side of her face. She kissed the palm of his hand.

"We made it, it's fine. I'm not going anywhere, Anna."

"I know, I won't let that happen."

They smiled.

"Now turn around," she said.

He frowned. She really wanted to clean him up. He turned around and told her to be quick. She shook her head and did her best to clean him quickly. He mentioned that she could have waved her hand or something to clean him up instantly. She leaned into his ear and squeezed his butt cheek. He jumped slightly.

"Where's the fun in that," she asked?

She bit his ear and he smiled. She was so clever.

She wiped his legs. When she reached his cock, her movements became counter-productive. Soon the cloth was abandoned entirely and only her hand remained. He leaned back against her. She kissed his back and shoulder. Soon his member stood to attention. She pulled the plug to drain the water from the tub. She refused to make a bigger mess for his cleaning staff.

"Let's dry up and take this somewhere else," she said.

"Whatever you say," he said.

 **Thanks for reading! Christian and Anna had to deal with the fact that Christian could have been lost tonight. They also couldn't keep their hands off each other as usual. Their happy ending is so close.**

 **This story is nearing its end. Thank you for staying with me! I was able to write two novel length fanfiction stories because you and I've learned a lot.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter Forty Five

Anna slowly walked into her apartment and looked around for her roommate Kate. Anna had some news to tell her friend and even though it was wonderful, she knew Kate might have words with her. Christian was so intense last night; of course she would say yes to anything he said. Last night he asked her one of the most important questions in her life.

As usual, Anna was able to get home before Kate. She had no idea how she did that, but here she was alone. She sauntered to the couch and flopped down. She covered her mouth with her hands and thought about last night again. It was so wonderful. She nearly forgot what it was like to let the man you love take total control.

 _"I don't know what I would have done if I lost you," said Christian._

 _"You know that wasn't possible," said Anna._

 _He gently touched the side of her face and studied her to lock her image in his mind. She was safe, mind, body and soul. He continued to push inside her, soon he removed his hand and laid on top of her; she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight as he…_

Anna heard the door shut and Kate's sigh. Kate loved her job, but she loved when she was off almost just as much. Anna turned to face Kate. Kate stopped in her tracks when she saw Anna's stare. Anna must have looked terrifying because Kate looked a little afraid; then she remembered it was Anna and calmed down. Anna couldn't hurt an ant.

"Are you okay," asked Kate as she dropped her keys and purse on the kitchen counter.

Kate walked toward Anna and sat beside her on the couch. Anna placed her hands under her to hide the evidence. Anna wanted Kate to be told first. Anna almost lost Christian and she didn't want to waste any more time pretending that they were not going to spend the rest of their lives together.

"You're back early," Kate said pleasantly.

Anna could only imagine what Kate was thinking; she could also read Kate's mind, but that would be a violation. Kate was her friend and Anna trusted her completely. Kate also spoke her mind so telepathy wasn't necessary. Anna smiled at Kate. Kate's face turned from worried to 'you didn't' look.

"Christian asked me to marry him and I said yes," said Anna.

Kate sat back on the couch and looked ahead. She didn't speak for a few seconds. It was like she was stunned into silence. Anna wanted to reach out and hold Kate's hand, but she knew Kate needed a moment to take in what Anna said.

"So that's it, then," said Kate to herself.

"Don't say that, I'm still here. He wanted to elope, but I wouldn't have it. I also reminded him that his mother would be furious. He relented after that."

Anna and Kate laughed. Christian was a bit of a momma's boy. Kate imagined Christian's eyes widened in fear from the thought of his mother's wrath. Kate turned to face Anna and smiled. Anna smiled back and Kate pulled Anna close for a tight hug.

"Oh," said Anna.

Kate's hug was surprisingly tight.

"You'll look so beautiful in a wedding dress. I'm so happy for you. I know I've been clingy lately, but I had good reason. I knew this day would happen soon. I'm going to miss you."

Anna rolled her eyes. She wasn't going anywhere. They would still see each other. Kate let go of Anna.

"So are you moving out," asked Kate.

"I plan to move in with him in three months, but I'll keep paying rent."

"You're damn right you will."

Anna laughed. Kate wiped a tear from her eye and Anna rubbed her best friend's back.

"I hoped you like the double date, because we're going to have to do those more often now."

"Of course, anytime."

Kate hugged Anna again.

"So how big is the ring?"

"Kate!"

"Oh please, let me see it. He probably bought it weeks ago."

 _"Close your eyes," said Christian._

 _"Seriously?"_

 _"And close your mind."_

 _"Okay."_

 _Anna closed her eyes. They had just made love with their minds linked so she closed herself from him. She felt her him turn her hand palm up and kiss it. She smiled. Were they going to make love again? He then turned her hand down and she felt something cold wrap around her index finger. She gasped. Was this what she thought it was?_

 _"Don't open your eyes yet."_

 _She frowned. He was such a control freak._

 _"I love you so much and I refuse to wait any longer. Anna will you marry me?"_

 _She bit her lip._

 _"Honey, I asked you a question, I need an answer."_

 _She smiled._

 _"We're just wasting time…"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Yes…"_

 _She scooted closer to him and kissed him; she felt his lips crush against her lips._

 _"Open your eyes."_

 _She opened her eyes and looked down at the ring. The size of the diamond nearly covered her knuckle. It was too big; she knew he wouldn't have it any other way. It was also beautiful. It had a slight blue tint to it. How was that possible? She looked up at him and kissed him again._

"That's huge," said Kate.

"I know, it's a little awkward, but I know he won't want to change it," said Anna.

"Why should he, he's a billionaire. He just wants everyone to know you're his woman."

Anna was surprised by Kate's insight. It made sense, Kate was a reporter. It was her job to read people so she could get the truth out of them. She was going to be very successful in her career. After the elephant in the room disappeared, they were able to talk like friends again. Anna shouldn't have worried, of course Kate would be happy for her.

Anna waited outside for Christian. Kate all but pushed Anna out of the apartment. Anna still felt a little guilty about leaving so soon and said she could call Christian and tell him she was going to stay home. Kate was not having it.

 _"You have to have engagement sex! Go!"_

Christian's car pulled up and the driver's side window rolled down. Anna's eyes widened when she saw Christian in the driver's seat. He smiled at her, she was comically surprised.

"You can drive?"

"Of course I can drive."

He put the car in park and waited. She didn't move a muscle.

"Are you ready to go?"

She gripped her carryon luggage. She didn't know how to ask him without insulting him so she just came out and asked the question.

"Do you have a valid driver's license?"

Now he was actually offended, but he would not deny his fiancé anything. He reached in his back wallet and handed her his license. He had a deeper scowl then usual in the picture. Not even the rich could avoid the shenanigans that is the DMV. She handed him back the license and cleared her throat.

"I'll open the trunk."

She walked to the trunk and placed her bag in it. She took a moment to scold herself for checking him like that. Of course he would have a valid driver's license. Still, she also had to be sure. He was a very confident man, maybe he thought the rules didn't apply him. It wasn't that far fetch. She closed the trunk and walked to the front passenger door. He opened the door and she slid inside. He intentionally went in reverse and smiled. She hit his arm.

"That wasn't funny."

"I thought it was, I hope we make it."

She shook her head.

"Just drive."

A black SUV pulled up behind them and she became nervous. He looked at the SUV in the rearview mirror and back at her.

"It's fine, it's Taylor and Alexa. I'm letting them follow us."

She nodded her head. Even though Christian and Anna could have easily handled Jack, Alexa and Taylor felt like they had failed their prince. Christian understood they needed to feel like they were needed again so he let them join him.

As Christian drove, Anna watched him. He had only one hand on the steering wheel and he kept scanning the road. He changed lanes with ease and didn't hesitate. When she saw that he missed the exit to his apartment, she knew something was up.

"Where are going?"

He looked at her and smiled.

"It's a surprise, but you'll love it."

"Well, you know best," she said sarcastically.

"I'm going to make you pay for that comment later."

A delightful shiver creeped up her spine and down to her core. She was sure his payback was going to be intense and pleasurable. She bit her lip; he noticed it from the corner of his eye.

"You drive me so crazy with that."

"Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, I like it."

She bit her lip again. She wanted to say sorry again, but that was silly. She was surprised when he turned off so soon. She slowly remembered where they were. Wherever he planned to take her, it required a plane ride. He parked the car; the SUV parked beside them. He quickly opened the door, jogged to her side of the car and opened her door. She smiled up at him and took his hand.

Taylor and Alexa walked toward the jet to inspect everything. Alexa checked the outside and Taylor examined the inside of the jet. Christian and Anna looked at each other. The threat was over, didn't Taylor and Alexa realize that?

"All clear," said Alexa.

"All clear." said Taylor as he walked down the steps.

Taylor took Christian and Anna's bags and Christian and Anna held hands as they walked to his private jet. She squeezed his hand. She didn't know why she did that suddenly, but she felt he needed it. He looked over at her and squeezed her hand as well.

Christian lead Anna straight to his room. Taylor and Alexa would remain in front. Christian didn't plan to accommodate them too much. Christian softly pushed Anna on the bed and she fell back. She slowly sat up and felt the soft comforter under her finger tips. She looked him up and down. He was dressed in white dress shirt, a pair of dark denim jeans she swore she didn't know he had and tennis shoes. He leaned down towards her on the bed and kissed her neck. She eyed the door. Taylor and Alexa could literally hear and smell what the were doing.

"What is it," he asked?

"They're right outside the door," she said.

"And…"

He kept kissing her, her body started to betray her. Soon she wouldn't give a damn who could hear them, but she shook her head and placed her hands on his chest. He looked down at her hands and back at her.

"You know you could…"

Her eyes widened.

"No, I can't."

"Yes, you can."

She eyed the door again. It wouldn't hurt them. He watched her eyes flash white for a second and smiled. He was sure she just shielded them.

"They think we're making out, but they won't hear us."

"I'm fine with that."

He went back to kissing her and worked his way down to her cleavage. She sat up and unzipped her dress and pulled it down so he could get better access to her breast. She quickly relieved herself of her bra and prayed that she wasn't going to burn for what she was doing.

"It's fine, I promise."

How did he do that?

He moved his hand towards her inner thigh and pinched her. She jumped, he then caressed that same area. He could do anything to her and she would love it. He spread her legs wide and pulled her dress up. He wanted to tear it off her, but he had enough sense left in him to know that they still needed to get off the jet. They had a couple of hours to enjoy each other's company.

"I am going to fuck you senseless," he said.

"Please do," she said.

She lifted herself up and kissed him. Oh, yes, they were going to enjoy every minute of their time in the sky.

 **Thanks for reading! I'm sorry for the delay. I wanted to make this one light. Anna and Christian just survived so much so I wanted to give them a break. Love in the sky seemed like a nice vacation for them.**

 **I'll post the next chapter on Thursday this week.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter Forty Six

"Open your eyes," said Christian.

Anna opened her eyes and saw a beautiful glass house facing sand and rushing water. She turned to face him and hugged him. It was so beautiful. He hugged her back. He wanted something peaceful for them. His apartment was safe again, but it was still the same place they were kidnapped. He had to get away and he was glad that she liked place.

"Please tell me you don't own this too," she said.

He didn't know what to say and he didn't want to lie so he just stood there dumfounded for a moment.

"It's okay if you own it. I still love you. Do you at least rent it out?"

"No, this is my home. Why would I do that?"

Well, he didn't need the money, but still, this beautiful location could bring in a lot of funds. It seemed to be a waste to only use it a few times a year. He typed the code on the key pad and the door opened. Taylor and Alexa quickly pushed past Anna and Christian to look around the house. Christian and Anna just watched Alexa and Taylor for a few moments as Taylor checked the bottom floor and Alexa walked up stairs. Anna and Christian walked in and Christian shut the door behind him. Taylor quickly turned around, he calmed down when he realized it was just Christian.

"All clear," yelled Taylor.

Alexa walked down the stairs.

"All clear," said Alexa.

Alexa and Taylor walked up to Christian and Anna stood in place as if to wait for their orders.

"Stand down," said Christian.

Anna coughed to keep from laughing out loud and straightened her face. She knew Taylor and Alexa were only doing their job.

"Here is he plan. Anna and I will be upstairs and you two will stay in the guest house. I don't want to see you until tomorrow morning."

Taylor and Alexa were about to state their disagreement.

"That's an order," said Christian.

Alexa and Taylor still looked defiant.

"From the prince of the Northern Pack."

Alexa and Taylor's shoulders slumped, Christian pulled rank and they wouldn't challenge the alpha king's son.

"You can make rounds outside if you must, but don't be too obvious. I will let you know if I need you before then."

"Yes, sir," said Alexa and Taylor.

Alexa and Taylor walked toward the door.

"Christian," said Anna to Christian.

"Oh and have some fun, if you can."

Alexa and Taylor stopped at the door and turned to face them. The look on their face spoke volumes; they were not going to have any fun on this trip. After the door closed, Christian picked up Anna and ran up the stairs.

"So soon," she teased.

He used his foot to gently kick open the door. He placed her on the ground and watched her as she glanced around the bedroom. She turned to face him and removed her jacket. He shook his head no. She stopped and wondered if something was wrong.

"You had your fun last night now it's my turn. I want to undress you."

He walked slowly towards her. Then she felt his hand comb through her hair. He leaned down to her neck and inhaled. She always smelled so good. His wolf was at full attention. _Not yet_ , he said to his wolf. His wolf remained patient. He knew he would have his chance.

"I've played nice for so long. Aren't you tire of it? Be honest."

She bit her lip.

"A little…"

He smiled. He grabbed the back on her hair and pulled her close. Now they were barely an inch apart. He growled and her core began to moist.

"Do you want me, Anna?"

"Yes, so much."

"How much."

"I want everything you have."

He kissed her, moved his hands to her ass and squeezed hard. She moaned in his mouth. He was going to tare her apart and she wanted him to do it. Taylor and Alexa were close enough to hear them. Maybe she should put up a barrier? They continued to kiss each other and her smacked her ass. Suddenly, he pulled away; she felt so cold and alone.

"I want you so badly, but first things first."

He waved his hand toward himself and she walked toward him. When she was within arms reached, he pulled her towards him again and quickly turned her around to face the large mirror that was a few feet in front of the bed. Now she began to understand his intentions. He wanted her to see everything he did to her while he undressed her. She bit her lip. He held her chin and turned her head toward him and kissed her.

"Look back," he commanded.

She looked back at their reflections in the mirror.

"You are so beautiful," he said.

"So are you."

Christian gently held her neck as they looked at each other in the mirror. He used his other hand to removed her coat. She began to move to shimmy out of it.

"Stop, don't move until I tell you," he said.

She stopped moving. He removed his hand from her neck and glided it toward her breast for a moment. He then removed her jacket and threw it on a nearby chair. She glanced toward her jacket. She didn't realize there was a chair there. She felt him slowly unzip her dress. He spread the dress wide, but didn't take it off. She closed her eyes and focused on his touch; he spread his hands around her back and rubbed her stomach. He stopped right at the top of her core and quickly removed his hands. She gasped in frustration. He slowly pulled at her sleeves; the dress fell to her hips. He told her to keep watching as he kissed her neck and massaged her breasts. She leaned into him, but she didn't dare turn her head. She wanted to kiss him badly. He stopped kissing her and tugged at her dress until it fell to her feet. Now she stood only in her bra and panties.

"Don't close your eyes," he said.

He wrapped his arm around her to lock her in place and lowered his other hand to her panties. He slowly reached in and began to lightly caress her pussy. She jerked forward a bit. She kept her hands at her sides and watched herself being pleasured. He watched as well. His erection began to press against her back. She started to gasp and moan. If she closed her eyes just once, she knew his touch would feel that much stronger.

"Don't," he said.

"How did you know," she asked?

He smiled at her.

"I know you."

He was right. They both knew their buttons, good, bad and sensual. She felt him dip his fingers into her pussy; she jerked forward again and gasped loudly. She may not be able to hold herself up much longer. His fingers were relentless.

"Don't move, remember."

She nodded her head. He was doing fine by himself anyway. He squeezed her clitoris and she yelled out. He removed his hand from her core and held her up. They both watched as her body rose and fell with each harsh breath. When were they going to fuck? As always, she wanted him badly. He turned her toward him. She had barely come down from her climax.

"Undress me, slowly," he said.

She reached for his shirt first and slowly unbuttoned it. When she was able to see his muscles, she looked up at him.

"Can I touch you," she asked?

He slowly nodded his head.

She gently rubbed his pecks and loved how they flexed under her touch. She bit her lip and looked up at him again.

"Can I kiss you?"

"Yes."

She kissed his chest and flicked her tongue on one of his nipples. She heard him groan. Finally, a reaction. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him. She started to undress him again. When his shirt was fully unbuttoned, she slowly spread his shirt apart like he did to her dress just moments before. His shirt dropped to the floor. She looked down at his pants, his erection pushed against them. She carefully relieved him of his jeans. She rubbed his cock for a moment before freeing his member from his last bit of clothing. Now, he was completely naked.

"Take of the rest of your clothes," he said.

She took off her bra and panties and dropped them to the floor. He titled his head toward the bed; she walked to the bed and lowered herself on it. His eyes glowed for a moment and he moved to lay in between her legs. She kept her hands on the bed. He saw her restrain herself and smiled.

He entered her quick and hard. Still, her hands remained on the bed.

"You can touch me," he said.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him to be as close to him as she could. He pumped in and out of her and she felt every inch of him inside her. He kissed her and returned to hitting her pussy hard. He growled; his wolf was close.

"Do you want him," he asked?

"I want you both," she said.

He pulled out of her core and she unwrapped her legs around him. He lowered his head. She didn't know if he had changed yet. She felt him jerk for a moment, then he looked up at her. His eyes glowed as he looked into her eyes. He grabbed her head, pulled her lips towards his and kissed her. She knew it was the wolf from his harsh kiss. He kissed her again and then gave her a few quick kisses on her on her face.

He gently lowered her back to the bed. He only wanted to fuck. He spread her legs wide, lifted her legs up and pushed inside of her. He was always rougher than Christian. She was more shocked than hurt. He squeezed her legs as he pumped inside of her. The bed started to move and creek with each thrust.

She sat up to take match his movements. He was so strong and hard. Her pussy was getting pummeled and she enjoyed every second of it. She closed her eyes and moved her head back.

"No," he said.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. His eyes were now focused on her. Their eyes didn't waver as they continued fucking each other.

"So…good," he said.

"Yes," she said.

He lowered himself and began to make slow deliberate thrusts. Their skin was drenched in sweat and her pussy was so slick and sensitive. She was going to climax again. She moved her hand to his ass and squeezed. He was shocked by that and gave her a curious look. She told him it was okay. She kept her hands there, but she didn't squeeze his butt cheeks again.

"An..na."

"I love you."

He felt warmth spread from his mate and then a burst of energy past through them. Soon his back jerked and he came inside of her. She wrapped rubbed the back of his head and caressed his back. He looked up at her again and kissed her. A serene smile crossed his face and closed his eyes. His wolf wasn't much for cuddling. She watched his body become rigid for a moment. When he opened his eyes, they glowed for an instant.

"How was it?"

"Are you asking if he's better?"

He gave her a look. She laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"You're one and the same."

"That's not an answer."

She shrugged her shoulders. He slid from her arms and slowly kissed her stomach.

"What are you doing?"

He smiled and kissed just below her stomach, right at the tip of her vagina.

"I'm showing you who is better."

He heard his wolf grumble and Christian ignored him. He lowered his head to her pussy and began to feast on her core. It was so moist and plump from all of the attention it had been getting.

"Oh, Christian…"

He rubbed her inner thighs continued to make love to her pussy with his mouth. He felt her jerk and knew she came. As her vagina tightened, he kept his tongue in her center. She came again and yelled out, but he still wasn't done with her. He groaned and pulled her closer to his face. She jerked off the bed and held onto his shoulders.

"Okay, you win," she said breathlessly.

He licked her clit one last time and moved to lay beside her. He watched how her chest rose and fell with each sharp breath. He was ready to pounce her again, but he knew she needed some time. They had forever to be with each other. She looked up at the ceiling. It was like she was in her own world. Soon her breathing returned to normal. She turned to face him.

"You're way too good at this?"

"Am I?"

She forced herself not to roll her eyes. He knew exactly how good he was at making love.

"You're not bad yourself."

She smiled. She had a great teacher. As long as Christian lived, she would never be with anyone else. She kissed him and he pulled her towards him. So much had happened and they were still just at the beginning of their relationship. He had accepted everything about her and she did the same for him. Soon they would be married! Of course, they would have to a big wedding. However, she would have preferred a small wedding with just their close family and friends. Her father would walk her down the aisle and...

She thought about her biological father and hoped he was alright. He had been fighting to protect her mother and her for years. What a sacrifice to make? Her mother was never able to stay in a relationship after her father and now she was starting to understand why. She felt Christian's hand rub her arm.

"What is it, I can tell you're thinking about something," he said.

"I was just thinking about our future and my dad," she said.

"You're real dad?"

"Yeah, he's still fighting. I doubt it will end soon."

"He'll come back as soon as he can, you know that, right?"

She placed her hand on top of his and gently squeezed it.

"I know."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and did his best to comfort her. She had already opened herself up to a man she never knew. Doing so had brought her a lot of pain, but it was worth it to her. She thought her father was dead and now she had chance to see him again. Unlike Anna, Christian was angry at his father for so long and when he re-entered his life all he had was disdain. He had never been one to open himself to another person and look what it almost cost him. His father loved him deeply; he just made a mistake. It was just that simple; parents aren't perfect.

"What are you thinking about," she asked?

"My biological father. We've both wasted so much time, but I don't regret my family. I am who I am because them. I don't know if you noticed, but my real dad is a little crazy."

They laughed; that was so true. Corin seemed too comfortable tearing wolves apart with his bare hands. It was almost as if he missed the days when men fought and tore themselves apart in hand to hand combat.

"Yeah, I agree."

She turned around to face him and studied everything on his face. His eyes, his nose, his lips. Everything about him as beautiful. His hair was a mess right now, but that couldn't be helped. She was sure her hair looked just as wild. He saw her eyes widened and she laid on her back. He sat up and held her hand.

"What is it, what's wrong?"

She looked up at him.

"I feel it happening."

"What?"

He had no idea how he could help her, but he would do everything he could to make sure she was okay.

"I can feel my egg being fertilized."

He was speechless. Did she just say she was feeling her conception? He looked down at her flat stomach. Nothing appeared out of place.

"It's happening. This is okay, right?"

"Of course, it is."

He kissed the top of her forehead. At first, she felt his sperm push inside her egg and now it was splitting and becoming. A tear fell from her eye. They were going to have a baby. She looked over at him again. He was clearly nervous.

"It's alright, we can do this," she said.

She lifted her head and kissed him. He gently touched her stomach. They were getting married as soon as possible.

The End

 **Thanks for reading! I know it's a crazy way to end the story, but sincerely I feel that the main issues were resolved. Yes, the baby will be a magical werewolf.**

 **I do plan to write an epilogue or one more chapter to discuss Anna and Christian's full reaction to her pregnancy, but that will be it for the Two Sides of Grey Part II.**

 **Thank you all for sticking with me for two full length fan fanfictions. You have inspired me to believe in myself and I am so grateful for that. I've learned so much. At this time, I don't plan to write another full-length novel in this series. If I do write about Anna and Christian, it will be written as a short story or novella.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism.**


	47. Chapter 47

Epilogue

Anna and Christian held hands as they stood in front of his parents' home. Christian asked everyone to meet at his parents' house to discuss something important. Anna told him that he probably started a fire in everyone's mind, but it was too late to change anything now. She knew everyone, but Carrick would sense the little one inside her, but they couldn't show any reaction to it until Anna officially said she was pregnant. She bit her lip.

Grace opened the door and smiled at Anna and Christian. Grace's face went slack for a moment, then her eyes lit up with joy. She had sensed the baby's heartbeat. Grace rushed towards Anna, hugged her and started to tear up.

"I know, I'm so happy," whispered Anna.

"Oh, this is wonderful," said Grace.

Grace let go of Anna and turned to hug her eldest son. Christian hugged her back.

"Is this the news," asked Grace?

"Yes," he said.

Grace pulled away from her son and stepped back to let them into her home. She quickly whipped her tears so she wouldn't make Carrick wonder what happened. Grace knew Anna and Christian would make the announcement quickly.

Mia rushed toward Anna and gave her and hug. Christian glared at his sister. Mia pulled back just as quickly and covered her mouth.

"Mia…" warned Christian.

"Right, wow, this is so great!"

"What is," asked Carrick?

Carrick stood by his for a moment to comfort her; she looked a little upset.

Mia snapped her mouth shut and sat down on the couch. Elliot shook his head. His little sister was a mess.

Elliot gave Christian a handshake and Anna a quick hug.

"Congratulations," whispered Elliot.

"So, what's this all about," asked Carrick pleasantly, but firmly?

Christian wrapped his arm around Anna's shoulder and placed one hand on her stomach. Mia and Grace instantly started crying. Finally, they could show how they felt. Elliot smiled. Carrick looked down at his son's hand and back up at Anna and Christian.

"Anna's pregnant," asked Carrick?

Mia and Grace rushed toward Anna, but Anna took a step back. She didn't' know if her child had powers yet and she wanted to make sure to protect it. Grace and Mia. apologized and gently walked towards her and hugged her. Anna was starting to become overwhelmed by all of the attention. Christian smiled at all of the women he loved. When he turned back to his father, Carrick did not look pleased.

"Son, can I talk to you for a moment," asked Carrick?

The room went quiet. Did Carrick disapprove of the baby?

"Relax everyone, I just want to talk to my son. I'm happy for you two."

Carrick walked out to the back yard and Christian followed behind him. Christian focused on keeping his emotions in check. Christian did his best to be the perfect son, but if his father said anything negative about Anna or their unborn child, he may lose that title.

"Is something wrong, dad," asked Christian?

His father turned to face him.

"Of course not. I just never thought you would be the one to have a kid like this. Do you plan to marry her?"

Christian visibly relaxed. His father just wanted to make sure Christian was going to be responsible.

"Yes, we plan to be married before the baby is born. I'll have a more public wedding later."

Christian didn't care how the public would view him or Anna; he only cared about his family's opinion.

"I hope your mother and I are invited," said Carrick in a grave tone.

Christian almost shivered as well. His mother would hunt him down in her wolf form and give him a good bite on the leg if he eloped. No, Christian knew better than to have a wedding without his mother.

Carrick and Christian walked back inside, both of the men stopped in their tracks when they saw everyone sitting down on the couch or a nearby chair silently waiting for their return. Grace made a tight smile.

"Is everything alright, sweetheart," asked Grace?

Carrick wanted to hide behind his son, but he stood his ground. It was obvious that his private conversation did not sit well with his wife. He planned to make up for his mistake later. Carrick smiled and pat Christian on the back.

"Everything is fine, I was just giving him the talk."

"Well it's a little late for that, dad," said Mia.

Everyone laughed. Christian looked at Anna as she sat on the couch next to Grace and walked toward her. Anna had returned to the shy girl he met in his office. He knelt down in front of her.

"Anna, I want everyone here to know how much I love you," said Christian.

Anna eyes started to tear up; Christian kissed her in front of everyone. Elliot and Mia looked at each other, they had never seen Christian like this before. Anna was truly his soulmate. Christian stood, brought Anna up with him and held her at his side.

"I never thought this would happen for me; I love her so much."

Anna started to tear up again. She felt the baby move as well. It was still very small, but she assumed she would be more in touch with her child than most mothers since she was part Fae.

"I love you too, Christian."

Christian gave her another quick kiss.

"Get a room," said Mia.

Christian gave Mia a look, Mia did not care in the slightest.

"Dinner will be ready soon, let's all go to the dinning room," said Grace; she was starting to tear up again.

As everyone else walked toward the dinning room. Anna and Christian took their time and followed behind them.

 _I love you too, mommy and daddy…_

Anna kept walking, for now, she couldn't tell Christian what had happened. Not everyone knew about Anna's other side. She knew Christian would be happy to know that their child was already so full of love.

 **Thanks for reading! I wanted to write this part to show the aftermath of the pregnancy. The baby will grow faster than normal and is already developing. I do not plan to write a whole 3rd novel, but I may write a novella in the future about their lives at this point.**

 **As always, I appreciate your reviews, comments and constructive criticism. Love you guys! Thank you so much for reading my work and your reviews.**


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